


For the Love of God, Strike Me Dead

by hellosweetie17



Series: Lightning Strikes [1]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Human Trafficking, Implied Social Anxiety, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Instant Attraction, M/M, Referenced Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 21:25:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 50,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8118106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellosweetie17/pseuds/hellosweetie17
Summary: William T. Spears is a highly efficient student at a small university. He prefers to be alone not only in his studies, but in his dorm room as well. To his utter dismay, he receives notice that he will be getting a roommate. However, William soon discovers the new arrangements may open the door to a life of love and companionship. Meanwhile...His new lease on life—Ronald Knox—struggles to accept a traumatizing secret he is desperate to forget. Can he and William overcome the hurdles of the past to build a future together? Or will it take away Ronald’s last hope for happiness?





	1. Chapter 1

**Friday night, introductions**

Most days, William T. Spears was calm, cool, and collected. He seldom let petty emotions, such as anger, override his immaculate demeanor. If there were occasions where his thoughts and feelings threatened to stake their claim, he never let them invade his stoic surface.

Today was _not_ one of those days.

William paced back and forth in his dorm room; every other step an agitated stomp. He could feel his teeth grinding together—his blood, boiling. Normally, he wouldn't use vulgarities to describe how he was feeling, but today was the exception: he was beyond _pissed_.

He looked down at the crumbled piece of paper he held tightly in his grasp. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Will deliberately made sure that his living arrangement stayed in tact—he even paid extra money. However, according to the small university, his dorm could no longer hold true to that contract due to a major influx of new pupils.

Thanks to the university accepting more students, William was getting a roommate.

 _Lovely_.

An even greater thanks to the university accepting more students, William's new roommate was an absolutely aggravating brat.

That brat's name was Ronald Knox.

_How wonderful!_

Sitting down on his bed, Spears slumped his shoulders and dropped his head into his shaking hands. He took a deep breath, slowly exhaling after ten seconds. He repeated this exercise a few more times, fogging up his black-rimmed glasses in the process.

"You will be alright, William," he murmured under his breath.

"To be quite fair, you have not actually met the boy in person. Your reactions and possibly unnecessary judgements are based off of rumors and spouts of gossip whispered between infatuated women. He could turn out to actually be a very fine, respectable gentleman," Will reassured himself, sighing into his hands.

The brunet shook his head to clear away his muddled thoughts. He needed to calm down and get himself together—his new roommate would be arriving soon.

He stood and walked over to the window overlooking the campus. He readjusted his glasses as he sat down on the ledge to gaze out at the sun setting against the autumn scenery. The leaves were changing from green to various shades of brown, orange, and yellow. Gusts of wind blew them from the tree branches and led them in a graceful dance across the campus lawn. Big, round pumpkins graced random spots on the ground—the bases of trees, benches, and around the now dormant fountain in the center of the green terrace. It was a truly beautiful sight.

Spears leaned his head against the cool glass in an effort calm himself. Little white puffs glistened against the glass each time he let out a deep breath. His blue eyes fluttered shut as he listened to the gentle and melodic wind blowing outside; the sound was serene. Will took one last tranquil breath before a light sleep claimed him.

* * *

The loud sound of a key turning a lock jolted William out of his dainty slumber. The door creaked open.

His new roommate was here.

* * *

Excited and playful laughter floated in the air as a blond walked backward into the room, dragging in a large suitcase. However, Ronald Knox was not alone with his luggage—he was accompanied by a man with long crimson hair. This said man blocked William’s view before he could get an adequate look at his new roommate. Slightly annoyed with the interference, he looked up into a pair of green eyes sitting behind a pair of red-rimmed glasses. The redhead put his hands on his hips, and gave Will a giant smile.

"Ronnie, darling~! You did not tell me that your new roomie was such a _devilishly_ handsome fellow!" he exclaimed, waving his arm in the air. Will winced at the sound of the man's shrill voice.

"You're gonna scare him off before I even meet him, Grell!” mused Ronald. He dropped his heavy suitcase on the floor by his bed with a loud thump. He wiped his hands on his black sweatpants before he turned around to face William, whom promptly stood from the window ledge and approached him with long strides.

"Hi! I'm Ronald Knox. Ya can call me Ron," he said, smiling brightly as he introduced himself and reached out his hand.

Swiftly taking in Knox’s lithe appearance, William nearly blushed as he leered at him from head to toe. He noticed that the boy’s feathered hair was dual-toned: ontop laid an untidy pile of sunny-colored tresses donned with a blond cowlick, while the locks beneath them were an inky black.

From his hair, the brunet’s blue gaze slowly traveled downward before connecting with Ronald’s. And upon closer inspection, Will saw that the boy’s long, dark lashes were tipped in pale gold and they surrounded a pair of mismatched eyes: the left was an enchanting sea green color and the right was so blue, it was reminiscent of a bright azure sky on a clear summer day. Simply put, they were stunning. And Spears wholeheartedly believed that if he were to stare into them long enough, he would drown in their beauty.

William rapidly deduced that this young man was too handsome for his own well-being. It was then that he realized he was staring, and he had to consciously fight to maintain his aloofness, all the while battling the blush that threatened to blossom across his pale cheeks. As a man who prided himself on restraint and impressive stoicism, Spears was covertly surprised—and embarrassed—that Knox managed to affect him in such a way. It shocked and frightened him all the same.

Quietly clearing his throat, Spears held out his hand to shake the other’s. “I’m William T. Spears,” he responded, mentally kicking himself for enjoying Ronald’s soft touch. After their brief handshake, Will tucked his tingling hand behind his back.

The blond smirked up at his new roommate. “Can I call ya ‘Will’?”

“I prefer ‘William’, thank you,” he insisted politely.

Ronald’s charming grin widened. “You’re th’ boss, sir!” he chuckled, giving the older man a dramatic salute. Before he had the opportunity to speak another word, he was shoved out of the way. Tilting toward his bed, Knox banged his shin on its frame and collapsed on the mattress with a loud _omphf_.

“What th’ hell was that for, Grell!” he hissed, rubbing his sore leg.

Grell waved away the blond’s complaint. “Oh hush, Ronnie,” he chided. “It’s not my fault you were standing between me and this heavenly gorgeous man.” Paying no heed to the husky eyes rolling behind his retreating form, he strolled over to William and placed a hand on the other’s arm before tapping his long, scarlet fingernails along the strong limb beneath his palms.

“Let me introduce this stunning lady standing before you,” purred the redhead, his flirtatious words dripping with seduction. “My name is Grell Sutcliff. May I call you ‘Willy’?”

Spears was grateful that he managed not to flinch under the unwanted contact. “Lady?” he queried, pushing up his spectacles with the press of his fingers.

“Yes!” scoffed Sutcliff, placing a hand on his jutted hip while he flipped his long hair over his shoulder with the other. “Open your eyes, darling; I'm only the most gorgeous woman you will _ever_ meet!”

“Nevertheless, I prefer to be called ‘William’,” he firmly stated.

A slow, mischievous smile spread across Grell’s face. “Hmm,” he hummed. “I’m sure I’ll be calling you ‘Willy’ soon enough, honey.”

The brunet fleetingly wondered if the gods would strike him (or perhaps Sutcliff) with a bolt of lightning if he so wished. Thankfully, Knox decided to come to his rescue before the redhead could continue.

Ronald grabbed his friend’s arm and whipped him around, then twirled him toward the exit; Grell’s long hair nearly slapped him in the face while his high-heeled clad feet danced and clicked across the laminate floor. “C’mon, Grell. I’m sure you've seduced him plenty,” he offered once they were by the door. “I’m gonna unpack and then head to bed. Come around tomorrow and help me decorate?”

Sutcliff sighed, “Alright, Ronnie. I’ll see you tomorrow, darling.” He pulled the blond into a tight hug. After a few moments, he let go and stared down at him. “And don’t you do anything without me!” he warned, wagging a finger at Knox. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on both of the boy’s cheeks.

“I won’t,” promised Ron, the corner of his mouth twitching into a lopsided smirk.

With a final flip of his gorgeous hair, Grell turned away and sauntered toward the door, pausing when his hand wrapped around the handle. He peeked over his shoulder at Spears. “I’ll be see you as well, Willy,” he reminded him with a sly smile before leaving the room.

“Finally,” Ron quietly murmured. He placed a hand on the back of his neck, gently rubbing it as he moved to face the older man. A pale shade of pink dusted his cheeks, which were stretching from ear to ear in a bashful smile. “I’m sorry about her. She can be a handful.”

“And so I saw,” agreed Spears with a slight nod, inwardly grateful that the man was gone. Unfortunately, that meant he was left with a stranger who intended to sleep in the bed across from his. William could feel his anxiety creeping up his spine at the mere thought.

Ronald dropped his hand, allowing it to slap against his thigh. “Do ya mind if I put my stuff away tomorrow?” he asked, gesturing at his luggage.

“Yes, that will be fine,” replied the brunet.

Knox flashed a dazzling smile along his boyish visage. “Good! ‘Cos I’m tired. Grell’ll do that to ya sometimes.” He emphasized his words by patting a hand over his mouth in attempt to stifle a yawn. Then, he ambled toward his suitcase in search of his toiletry bag and towel. Once he secured said items, he straightened up before draping the navy towel over his shoulder and tossing his bulky, black-framed glasses onto the mattress.

“I’ll stay outta ya way when I get back,” he informed Spears, who was now sitting at his desk. “Thanks, Will.” Without another word, he exited the room and headed in the direction of the showers.

After the door clicked behind Knox with a soft click, the older student pinched the bridge of his nose. “My name is ‘William’,” he sighed.

* * *

William sat at his desk, willing himself to finish the case research report that was due first thing in the morning; he wasn’t sure when he had fallen behind on the assignment. The brunet briefly contemplated on whether or not the reasoning behind it involved the news of being forced to live with another. Nevertheless, it was uncharacteristic of him to dally in his studies, seeing as his workload engulfed him an an overwhelming amount of academic overtime if he did so. Both situations frustrated him to no end.

Luckily, the room was mostly quiet for the time being. The only sounds penetrating his ears were the scratches of a pen scribbling across a smooth sheet of paper. And in addition to the silence, the room was faintly lit—only his tiny desk lamp spotlighting his workspace illuminated the area. It was a calm, quiet, and dim environment, one that helped him focus on his work.

Well, it was, until the noise of a door opening and closing behind him startled him, thereby breaking his concentration. Spears peeked over his should to find Ronald strolling toward his bed, leaving wet footprints in his wake. And judging by the shy glance the younger man shot him out of the corner of his eye, Ronald must've seen him jerk in surprise. William quickly looked away.

“Sorry, boss,” apologized Ron, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn't mean to scare ya.”

“There is no need to fuss on the matter,” responded William, practically speaking to the paper sitting before him. It was highly impolite, but he decided stare at what no longer held his attention rather than peer at the blond standing on the other side of the small room. “And there is no need to call me ‘boss’. My given name will suffice.”

“Sorry,” Ronald repeated, a slight frown tugging at his lips. Shamelessly clad in nought but a towel, he walked toward his desk before clicking on its lamp. The room brightened considerably.

“Oh, hell,” he groaned, “I can’t find my specs!” Knox turned around to face the brunet, who was glaring at him with such ferocity, it was probably best his glasses remained elsewhere. “Umm...can ya give me a hand, Will? ‘Cos, ya know,” he added, gesturing at his eyes. Hopefully he was squinting at his roommate rather than at some other object in the dorm.

William suppressed a roll of his own—and a rude remark. How many times must he remind the boy that his name is ‘William’? Surprising calm in spite of his inner fury, he stood and went over to Ronald; the blond was frantically running his hands along the hardwood desk. Apparently, he had forgotten that he had placed his much needed glasses on his bed. Spears scoffed at the stupidity.

Yet, he found himself retrieving the eye ware before returning Knox, whose back was toward him. He reached out and tapped the blond on his shoulder, his own hand inadvertently brushing the wet hair cradling the other’s ear. Will unwillingly flushed at the contact. Only the heavens knew why he was reacting in such an inappropriate manner.

Ron turned around and exhaled a sigh of relief, taking his spectacles. Once they were comfortably settled on his nose, he flashed the older man his most charming of smiles. “Thanks.”

“You are welcome, Ronald. Now if you’ll excuse me, there is an assignment that requires my attention,” replied William, pushing up his own glasses. Turning away from the boy, he returned to his desk and took a seat on the stiff chair before refocusing on his report.

While he worked, Will could hear Knox noisily bustingly about in search of only heavens knew what. Amongst the rustle, a loud thump echoed across the way; it was followed by a painful groan, then the sound of something wet slapping against the floor. The brunet swiveled in his chair and was prepared to admonish the young man, but his jaw snapped shut. All of his chiding words died on his tongue. A scarlet red bloomed on his pale skin, yet again.

“Oh, shit!” squeaked Ronald, scrambling to pick up his towel. Once he had the towel in hand, he frantically wrapped it around his waist, praying that his roommate hadn't seen his naked rear end.

After insuring that he was properly covered, Ron shot a hesitant glance over his shoulder—William was leering at him. A pink blush of his own dusted his cheeks. Speechless, he faced the man sitting across the room, then pushed his went hair from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Will,” he muttered, clumsily laughing off the mishap.

Deep down he desperately hoped that whatever first impression he was making, Spears wouldn't snap and demand he leave over it. He was finally on his own, and he wholly intended to stay that way. When the man failed to respond, he began to worry that he would throw him out.

If William was indeed listening to the blond’s apology, he surely wasn't processing a single word; his subconscious was too busy imprinting the sight of a nude Ronald Knox into his mind.

Delving into his usually untouched thoughts, Spears felt his sense of propriety and well-practice restraint fly out of the figurative window as he shamefully ogled the sinful scene before him. And upon taking in the boy’s lithe frame, his body slyly reacted in kind. And before he could stop such inappropriate visions from blossoming in his mind, William realized it was too late—he was already watching the water dripping from Ronald’s damp, black hair, its beads slowly trickling down his throat, cascading across his Adam’s Apple before flowing down his chest. He was clueless as to where the ludicrous thought came from, but he suddenly imagined licking away the water from the undoubtedly silky skin.

His unseemly imagination didn't stop there, however. Will, against his better judgement, began to wonder what it would be like—and how Ron would respond—if he were to kiss up and down his throat, gently grazing his teeth along his collarbone while he ran his hands across the moist flesh beneath his palms.

At that, Spears closed his eyes, scolding his entire being for entertaining such unsuitable notions. He had to consciously remind himself that he was not a vulgar man despite the lustful images assaulting his senses; the blood stinging his veins; the dizziness accompanying his annoyingly pounding heart; the searing desire tearing through each and every nerve and muscle. William prayed that whatever he was unexpectedly experiencing, it would retreat to wherever it came from and never return. Yet, in the farthest reaches of his mind, he found Knox to be quite attractive. He swiftly buried that revelation.

The brunet covertly shook his head, then opened his blue eyes. Normally, he would’ve exhaled a soft breath of relief. Instead, his breath hitched at the view of Ronald bending over whilst putting on pair of black pajama pants. He was once again graced with the boy’s nude bottom.

In an effort to save himself from an embarrassing situation, William shifted in the chair and cast his eyes downward. His lips pursed into a straight line when he noticed that his pants were poking obscenely at the crotch. They had grown quite uncomfortable. _~Compose yourself, William T. Spears!~_ Schooling his features, he looked back up at a finally decent Ronald.

“Ah, ha! Here we go,” Knox whooped triumphantly. He turned around, and then haphazardly flopped onto his bed. “Sorry for th’ surprise, Will,” he began, gazing intently at his roommate.

To Spears’ utter consolation, the boy apparently hadn't noticed his improper appreciation for his naked form.

“I know my ass is pretty good looking,” the blond continued, “but I didn't mean to flaunt it in front of ya. Next time I’ll make sure my towel is nice and tight.” He flirtatiously winked and gave the man a playful salute.

It was due to William’s well-practiced stoicism that prevented another unwanted round of warming cheeks. “We all have accidents,” he murmured.

Ron flashed a dazzlingly smile, inwardly cheering that Will might not ask him to leave—despite practically flashing the man—after all. Whew!

“Anyway, it is getting rather late,” remarked the brunet. Standing, he ambled over to his wardrobe and dug out a pair of blue striped pajamas. Spears hurriedly undressed, then redressed, all the while praying that his shameful state would remain unseen.

When he turned around to bid Knox ‘goodnight’, William found that he was already lying in bed, snoring away. He took that as his cue to find solace in his own dire need of sleep. Therefore, he quietly walked toward his nightstand and placed his folded up glasses on the hard wood top, then clicked off the lamp before blindly making his way to his bed. Once he was there, he turned down the comforter and crawled into it.

Rather than sleep, Spears laid there staring up at the ceiling, watching car lights stream through their window sway across the white plaster. He closed his eyes in an effort to discover peace within the darkness. But, it was to no avail. The brunet berated himself for his body’s refusal to listen to his forceful demands, caught between the frighteningly instant attraction he felt Ronald—who was a stranger, no less—and the reasonings behind his desire to remain in alone. The confusion behind the situation made him fleetingly contemplate that perhaps he was developing a personality disorder of some kind brought on by his need for solitude.

Yet, if he were to be honest with himself, he believed that the blond had awakened a long suppress need notwithstanding his valiant endeavors. Will was unsure as to whether or not that was a bad thing, though. Regardless, it did go against his nature, and he was a bit lost as to how to handle the ordeal. But at the moment, there was nothing he could do about it. Thus, he let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes.

The last thing he saw before sleep finally claimed him, was a pair of eyes—one green; the other blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! As of 7/6/17, I'll slowly be re-editing the chapters. I feel like I've gained XP when it comes to my writing skills, so of course I can't leave my first baby in the Black Butler fandom hanging! **NONE** of the content will be changed! It'll mostly be grammar and making sure all of the breaks in the chapters are the same.
> 
> Thank you for reading! :D


	2. Chapter 2

The following day was Saturday: the most blissful moment of the week. William took advantage of this day by sleeping past his usual alarm, seizing the opportunity to slumber until the early afternoon. His body and mind needed to rejuvenate; he put in so much late night overtime into his studies.

The graduate student was fast asleep when he was jolted awake by a loud, impatient knock on the door. He groaned and looked at his alarm clock: it was only 7:11 AM. The crass intruder knocked again.

"Oh gods, what could be so important as to disturb our rest at such an early hour?" Will yawned as clumsily patted the nightstand for his glasses.

He grabbed hold of his spectacles and put them on and his blue eyes crossed in an uncomfortable manner—his glasses were slightly askew. After readjusting them, he attempted to get out of bed. Somehow his foot missed the floor and he tilted forward and fell face first onto the laminated floor.

"Ugh," he angrily huffed, rubbing his nose as he lifted himself into a sitting position.

As soon as Will was confident he wouldn't gracelessly fall to the floor again, he stood up. His sleepy gaze looked over to Ronald's side of the room—the boy was softly snoring away.

"How on earth can this boy sleep through all this racket?" the older man grumped. He lifted up his glasses to rub the sleep from his eyes.

To his annoyance, another knock vibrated against the wood.

"Yes, I'm coming!" he snapped.

William slowly padded to the door. The forty wink's disrupter knocked one last time before calling through the door.

"Ronnie! Get up, darling! There is so much to do today. A girl needs a handsome man to escort her!" A shrill sing-song voice announced the identity of the trespasser.

The studious man stiffened in his tracks—it was the new perpetual thorn in his side: Grell Sutcliff. A miserable groan escaped Will's throat thanks to the inescapable meeting with this irksome pest.

Will quietly unlocked the door, opening it just wide enough to peek into the hall, his eyes blinking against the offending lights. His gaze zeroed in on the crimson haired man standing before him.

"I'm sorry Mister Sutcliff, but Ronald is still asleep. Shall I tell him you stopped by?" William politely offered, hoping this information would drive Sutcliff away.

"Oh, Willy, it's you!" Grell purred in greeting. "I know it's early, darling, but if you continue to call me 'mister,' I'll have no choice but to show you how much of a lady I truly am!" He incandescently smiled at Will with a failed attempt at seduction.

William's eyebrows furrowed and his face soured. He desperately wished he had some sort of extendable tool. Absolutely anything that would wipe the smile off this insane man's face.

_~Where would one find a weapon that extends and retracts in such a way as to properly hide evidence? The gardening department at a Home Depot, perhaps?~_

"No, William," he silently chided himself, "murder is not on the agenda today."

The brunet cleared his throat before responding.

"I assure you, Sutcliff, I will inform Ronald of your visit as soon as he rises."

The sound of bedding swished behind Will—it seemed Ronald had decided to fulfill, without warning, his promise to Grell.

"What is tha' noise?" the blond moaned and rolled onto his back.

To William's ultimate dismay, Grell welcomed himself into their room, pushing the door against Will in the form of a rude gesture.

Sutcliff walked to the boy's bed and bent over to poke him in the chest, and not in a gentle way. "Ronnie, darling. You need to get dressed," ordered Grell with a hand on his hip.

"Ow! What th' hell was tha' for? It's only ten o'clock," Ron complained in a cranky voice.

"It's barely 7:30 AM, Knox," William hissed with acid. He stomped over to the blond's bed so he could set the boy on fire with his burning gaze.

"7:30, Grell? Why th' fuck are ya here so early?" he grumped as he rubbed the sleep from his mismatched eyes.

"Tsk, tsk, darling. How dare you use such words in front of a beautiful lady? Anyway, you promised me that we'd spend the day together," Grell pouted, as if his heart were shattering into fragile pieces.

"Spend the day together?" William whispered to himself. An unusual flicker of jealously ran through his body. He quickly shook the feeling from his moronic thoughts.

Knox put on his glasses and let out an exasperated sigh. "Alrigh' Grell. Let me get dressed and we'll go, okay?"

Grell shrieked with what appeared to be extreme happiness. The sound made William wince.

"So excited! Ronnie dear, I'll be downstairs waiting for you. Don't let this enchanting lady wait too long by herself!"

He tilted his red glasses down his nose and peered at William through sparkling eyes. "You shouldn't make me wait either, darling."

With those last words, Grell walked out the door, closing it with a loud click. Will pushed up his glasses, his shoulders sagging with relief.

Ronald peeled himself out of bed and whipped his sheets off his body, the  blond's blanket falling to the floor in protest.

As the younger man took a step, his ankle twisted inside the comforter and he fell forward. He knocked into William's chest, causing the two of them to crash to the floor. The back of Will's head banged on the laminate, then bounced up to painfully slap against the boy's forehead with a loud _thump_.

"Son of a bitch!" Ronald yelled. He put his hand on his forehead, hastily trying to rub the soreness away.

The blond tried to pull in a deep breath to steady himself, but before he could inhale, his mismatched eyes widened, crossed and rolled into the back of his head—he had passed out on top of Will. The knock to Ron's forehead must have been much more overwhelming than the younger man originally thought.

Will laid there groaning, engulfed in the painful dizziness brought on by the stars bursting behind his eyes. The mysterious weight pressing against his stomach assaulted the nausea swirling inside him. Slowly his gaze came back into focus and he looked up at the ceiling. However, his view was blocked by the blonde hair covering his face. Knox's head was on his shoulder and he could feel soft breaths feathering across his neck. Will's eyes fluttered shut in pleasure.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open once he was aware that the boy was on top of him. A light blush dusted the tops of his ears. Will cleared his throat in an attempt to get Ron's attention.

"Knox, wake up," he muttered, shaking the shoulder where Ron's cheek rested.

"Huh? Wha' did ya say?" Ron whispered. He nuzzled against Will's neck; his lips were centimeters away from his exposed flesh. Ron's breath kissed his throat with each word he spoke. The feeling sent shivers down Will's spine.

"Ronald, you're squishing me and it's quite uncomfortable. Get up," Will barked in a much more forceful tone.

The sound of the brunet's loud voice caused Ron's ear to ring. His opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow. He looked down and once his muggy vision cleared, he saw a pair of blue eyes staring up at him. He gasped.

"Oh shit, I'm s-so sorry, Will!" he yelled.

Knox quickly pushed himself off of his roommate but once again, his foot slipped against the blanket and he landed back on top of Will—this time his knee landed between the older man's thighs.

William's eyes nearly popped from their sockets on impact; an unnatural red flush burst across his face. He dry heaved against the pain as tears leaked from his eyes. His teeth clamped shut and suppressed a loud shout. The restraint of the noise forced him to choke on air.

"B-boss! Will!" Ronald climbed over to him. "Can you hear me boss!" He shook Will until he felt his insides rattle and a shuttering wind escape his lungs.

"I'm alive, Ronald," he croaked through the pain. He wheezed in and out, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat. He let out a ragged sigh and closed his eyes.

"Oh gods, don't die on me, boss!" Ron cried as he shook the brunet again. He ran his hands down Will's body to make sure he was still alive and inspected for any other injuries. He palm settled between Will's thighs and subconsciously rubbed his hand against his groin. The caress made William gasp and slightly harden under the boy's touch.

Once he realized what he was doing, Ronald's eyes widened in terror and he scooted away. He pulled his knees to his chest and dropped his head into his palms in an attempt to hide the painful blush that cascaded his entire face and neck, flooding the shells of his ears.

"Oh fuck! I can't believe I did tha'. I didn't mean to, I promise. I was just checkin' to see if I hit ya anywhere else. I'm s-sorry, W-Will," he stuttered.

William's chest heaved as he drowned in a state of shock. He roughly hacked as he sat up, rubbing the back of his throbbing head. He readjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

"I-it's quite alright, K-Knox. It was an accident. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. There is no longer a need to fret," he assured the boy, swallowing thickly after the consoling words left his mouth. He turned around on his hands and knees, and crawled to his desk. With effort, he managed to pull himself into the wooden chair.

However, Ronald hadn't moved an inch. He continued to sit there with his face in his quivering hands. The heat on his body only deepened as the minutes ticked by while he sat on the floor.

"Ronald, look at me," Will demanded.

Scorching with embarrassment, Ronald looked up at Will with slightly teary eyes.

"Take a deep breath and ease yourself. This was an accident and we're both alright. Please get off the floor."

The boy slowly stood up on his trembling legs and then put his hand behind his head, rustling through his feathered locks.

"Umm...I'm sorry I hurt ya, Will. I promise not t' be so clumsy next time," he promised, his voice soft. He tried to smile, but faltered.

Before Will could say anything else, Ronald swiftly turned around and busied himself in an effort to find an outfit.

 ____________________

Despite earlier events, William sat there at his desk, attempting to study as he thought about the previous night and the towel mishap—the images played behind his blue eyes.

"Ah, glad that's over with," Ron declared once his messy blonde hair was tamed.

Will stole a brief glance at his roommate. The blond was clad all in black, from head to ankles; his shoes were surprisingly clean white converses. Ron's choice of clothing complemented his lithe frame. Once again, his memory exploded with the vision of Ron dropping the towel.

"For the sake of your sanity and well-being, stop staring at the poor boy!" His mind scolded his thoughts.

"Alrigh', Will. I'll see ya later, 'kay?" Knox said as he looked at Will with his criminally stunning eyes.

"Enjoy your day, Ronald."

"G'bye, boss," he grinned and walked out the door.

Will let out a sigh that burst with relief. He was finally completely alone—neither Ronald nor Grell could disrupt his thoughts.

After a few, deep, soothing breaths, the older man picked up his pen and began to dive into his work.

 ____________________

Later in the dark evening, Ronald returned. Thankfully that irritating Sutcliff was left behind. Ron kicked off his white shoes and jumped into his bed. He let out an exhausted yawn.

"Long day I presume?" Will's words disrupted the silence.

"Definitely. Grell's my friend and all, but she can be a real pain when it comes t' shopping," he replied.

"Will?" the boy asked.

"Yes?"

"Uh...I was thinkin' about wha' happened before I left."

William turned in his seat to get a good look at Ronald, wondering where the blond's thoughts were leading him.

"I was thinkin' tha' maybe it broke th' ice between us...in an awkward way," he cheeks blossomed with heat and he grinned. Will raised his eyebrows.

"I guess one could surmise such logic," William answered.

"'Kay...um, maybe we can tell each other 'bout ourselves. Wha' we're studyin', wha' we like t' do. Stuff like that, y' know? It'd be nice t' make a friend since I'm new and all." The unconscious tick—rubbing his neck—accompanied a bashful smile.

"I see. I suppose that would be alright. How about we leave that conversation until tomorrow?" Will wasn't sure why he was agreeing to reveal any part of himself; usually he was quite closed off.

Knox's brilliant grin widened and sparkled. "That's a deal!" he whooped.

"Oh yeah, I brought you somethin' from th' bakery in town. I figured you'd like a bite." He walked over to William and placed a brownie in his palm.

Despite the delectable sweet in his hand, something else caught Will's eye. He twisted Ronald's wrist and stared: two silvery scars violated his skin.

Ronald's mismatched eyes widened and he ripped his wrist out of the man's hand. William looked up at him, but found the boy's gaze averted to the floor and a faint flush dusted his cheeks.

"G'night, boss," Ron murmured and swiftly jumped into his bed, fully clothed.

Will was at a loss for words. He tried to think of something to say—apologize for his intrusion. He sighed and clicked off his lamp.

"Goodnight, Knox."

He put his glasses on the night stand and settled in his bed, shifting between the sheets and blanket.

Guilt flooded Will's body with the thoughts as to why those marks would be on the boy's skin.

Will clenched his eyes when he heard a watery sniffle whisper in the dark.


	3. Chapter 3

The following Sunday morning, William woke up to the sound of birds happily chirping, the sun shining in his eyes. Usually, he welcomed the cheerful music from his favorite animals—the bright sun, not so much. However today, both provided the jack hammer that was chiseling away inside his skull. The throbbing rattles made his stomach turn and he clenched his teeth to stop any sick from blitzing his gag reflex.

William cautiously blinked, but immediately hissed as the sun pierced his vision; his hand slapped across his eyes in order to block out the blinding lights. Slowly he sat up on his mattress, palms heavily protecting his ocular nerves from further assault.

He lifted his hand as an impromptu visor as he got out of bed. Stumbling over to the window, he swiftly closed the cheap curtains. The room dimmed a considerable amount and he heaved a sigh, both of relief and comfort.

Will looked over to Ronald's side of the room but his sight was immensely limited—he had forgotten to put on his glasses. With a testy grumble, he retrieved them from the nightstand and pushed them up the bridge of his nose.

"Ronald, how are you feeling?" Will asked, revisiting the events from yesterday morning as he made his bed into a much more respectful and professional view. Will's brow furrowed when the boy refused to acknowledge his query.

"I know you are experiencing an equal amount of discomfort, but it is highly impolite to not respond when asked a question," he added.

Once again, the brunet was greeted with silence. He clicked his tongue in frustration, annoyed with the blond for ignoring his newly found concern. He turned around to walk over to his crass roommate, preparing to bombard the boy with chastising words, but abruptly stopped.

Ronald was gone.

A swift pang of familiar anxiety coursed though William's mind before the door flew open with a bang; he nearly jumped out of his skin. He placed a hand on his chest, hoping to calm his pounding heart.

"G'morning, boss!" Ron bounced into the room, carrying cups of coffee. His wide pearly grin lit up the room. He walked over to Will, but stopped once he saw the look on the older man's face: his blue eyes were the size of saucers, his face drained of color.

"Uh...ya alrigh' there, Will?" the boy winced at the sound of Will taking in a giant gulp of air and loudly exhale. The man cleared his throat.

"Well, now that the initial despair of greeting death by means of a heart attack has subsided, I believe I will survive this ordeal," William answered, dryly.

"Looks like I've nearly killed ya twice in less than a day." William squinted at the boy and saw an amused expression brightening his cheeks.

"Indeed," he muttered through a small, scarcely seen smirk. "In the future, Ronald, how about you attempt to refrain from nearly frightening me into oblivion?"

"Haha, yeah, I'll do my—" Ron stopped mid-sentence. "Wait a sec. Are y' smilin', William T. Spears?" His gorgeous eyes sparkled with laughter and mischief.

"Please forgive me, Ronald, but I believe that your vision may be disoriented due to yesterday morning's events."

"Alrigh'," the boy surrendered in a feign gesture.

"That's the first time I've seen ya smile since we've met. I liked it! Y' should do it more often. Looks really good on ya," he added, a shade of pink painting his cheeks. "But anyway, I brought y' some coffee."

"Thank you, Ronald," Will gratefully accepted the warm brew. He walked back to his desk and sat down on the creaky wooden chair. Before William could begin to study, Ron prompted a conversation.

Knox hopped onto his bed and took a sip of his coffee, placing the cup on his nightstand after another heavy gulp. "So..."

William's eyebrows lifted up to the ceiling as he waited for the boy to continue. He watched him fidget and twiddle his thumbs—he was nervous.

"So..."

"Is there something on your mind, Knox?"

The boy jumped at the sound of the brunet's voice. His tick appeared; he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh! I was just thinkin' about wha' questions to ask ya."

"Ask me?"

"Ya don't remember? Yesterday after we uh...y' know broke th' ice and all," scarlet burned his cheeks. "We agreed t' ask each other questions. Get to know one another."

"Yes, I do recall that conversation," acknowledged Will. He pushed up his glasses, nervous about how far Ronald would pry into his life. "Would you like to begin the inquiry?"

"Hmm...what's your favorite color?"

"Blue," replied William, lifting an eyebrow at such a random question. "And yours?"

"Mine's black. Or maybe dark colors in general." Ronald thought for a moment, then smirked in a way that told William, "brace yourself."

"How old are ya?"

"I am 33 years old," William responded, wondering how a simple number could induce laughter. Then the boy opened his mouth.

"Wow, boss. You're a righ' grandpa, aren't ya," the boy teased. He nearly choked on his coffee when he saw the scowl etched on William's face.

"I was just jokin', Will! You're not old at all, I promise. I was just teasin', trying to make ya smile...since it looks good on y' and all," Ron stuttered, hoping a bolt of lighting would strike through the window and make him disappear. "Anyway, I'm 24."

"Still young, I see. I suppose it's my turn again. What career are you pursuing?"

"I'm studying child psychology."

William raised an eyebrow, shocked by that information. "Child psychology?"

"Haha, no need for tha' look on your face. But yeah, I like kids. Sometimes they need help. I figured I could help 'em."

After Ronald answered, a far off, distracted look appeared on his face as if he were remembering something he wish he could forget. William realized then that the boy kept tugging his shirt sleeve down, trying to hide his wrist.

"That's very impressive, Ronald. I do hope you continue pursuing that course. My studies are focused on a law degree." His words regained the boy's focus.

"What were y' doing before you decided to be a lawyer?"

"I was in the military."

"I never would've guessed tha' honestly," admitted Ronald with a stunned expression on his face.

"Yes, like you, many people are shocked by this information. I suppose my stoic demeanor prevents others from envisioning that someone, like myself, would fit the criteria"

"Yeah...I can see why," he cringed at his words. "Sorry if I offended ya."

"There's no need to apologize," assured William.

"Y' didn't want me here, did ya?" Ronald caught William off guard with such a blunt question. "Y' can be honest with me," he told the older man, pinning him with his mismatched eyes.

"To answer your question with honesty, no I did not want you, nor did I want anyone else for that matter, to share a room with me," he replied.

"Why would y' want that? Is somethin' wrong with me?" A tiny flicker of hurt flashed behind his bulky glasses.

"No, Ronald. I assure you, there's nothing the matter in regards to you. It is a way of life that I have chosen and had hoped to maintain. I apologize if, by chance, my reasons have caused you any form of distress."

The younger man gave Will a small smile. "Why would ya want t' be alone?"

"I think the answer to that specific question should be conversed at a later date. But once again, please do not believe that you are the reason why I prefer to live in solitude," he tried to reiterate his words, hoping that the boy would accept his candid request.

"I know we've just met and all, but if you ever need t' talk about it, I'll listen to ya."

"Thank you, Ronald. I'll keep in mind your offer should the need arise," replied Will, grateful that the blond did not press the question any further.

He looked at Ronald, his gaze studying him for any discomfort caused by his frankness. The only thing he saw was Ron's giant smile, and beautiful eyes.

However, his stare averted when the boy squirmed and tugged on his sleeve—the scars. Would it be inappropriate to ask such a personal question, when he himself refused to divulge an answer to the one that was presented before him?

"Ronald?" Will looked deep into the blond's eyes.

"Yeah, Will?"

"May I ask...the scars?" he asked, caution lacing his voice as he pointed at Ronald's lower arm.

The boy pushed up his sleeve and looked at his wrist. William could see memories flash behind his eyes as he slid his forefinger across the scars.

"These ol' things?" Ronald laughed a humorless laugh. Conflicting emotions plagued his face, trying to decide which answer to use.

He looked into William's eyes, his gaze searching as if he were begging William to provide words that would rescue him from the pain that invaded his usually bright eyes. Ronald looked away and cleared the emotion constricting his throat.

"How 'bout we save tha' one for later, too?"

"Alright, Ronald. I extend your offer to you, should you choose to accept."

He was clueless as to why he was willing to discuss such matters with the younger man he barely knows, let alone offer any verbal or emotional support. But each time he looked into Ronald's eyes—the green one washed away his secluded, self inflicted inhibitions and the blue promised to rescue him from his ghostly past—he felt something unlock, and despite trying to battle the freedom, he found himself surrendering under the boy's gaze. Though he was shocked by his willingness to betray his stoic emotions, he realized he could care less, which might lead to trouble.

"Are you single, Knox?" William blurted out, a knot forming in his stomach as he realized what he said. Apparently, not only was he betraying his emotions, he was abandoning his mentality as well.

Ronald choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken, any liquid left in his mouth burst through his nostrils. An intense flush engulfed his entire body. The red coloring was so deep, Will was afraid the poor boy might actually catch fire.

The perplexity of such a question caused Ronald to put his hand behind his head and rub his neck with such ferocity, Will would be unsurprised to find the skin chaffed and sore. His reaction made Will feel ashamed of his brash words.

"Oh...uh...what did ya say, boss?" he stammered profusely, his eyes widening with each syllable. "Huh? I mean, what th' hell?" Ron closed his eyes, took a deep breath and reopened them.

"Yeah I'm single, boss," he admitted, embarrassed. "A lot of people think I play around, but I don't. Honest." He felt the need to add.

"Are ya single? I mean since ya live alone and all."

"Yes, quite so."

_~Indeed, I was correct: I am in trouble, and deeply so.~_

William swiftly attempted to change the subject before he further embarrassed the two of them, but the door flew open. An unforgiving red flamboyancy walked in.

"Hello, Ronnie! Time to decorate this absolutely dull room of yours," Grell Sutcliff announced, as if it were only he who could successfully enhance the boy's life through the extreme beautification of his living quarters.

The redhead dropped multiple bulky bags on Ronald's bed—the weight dipped into the mattress, and the boy tilted over onto the items.

"Ugh, Grell, I love ya and all, but can y' warn me the next time y' try to knock me out of my bed?"

Grell padded Ron on his cheek, "of course...maybe," he smiled. Ronald rolled his eyes knowing that his request flew in one ear and out the other.

William cautiously turned in his chair in hopes of staying silent and ignored. However, the chair threw him under the figurative bus as it creaked with such enthusiasm, it appeared to be saying, "William is here!" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Grell whipped around with such velocity, he was shocked that the crimson horror stayed upright.

"Willy~! I didn't see you there. It's wonderful to see you again, darling," Grell waved.

"Hello, Sutcliff," William sniffed, as he struggled to maintain politeness, regardless with whom he was speaking with.

"Have you reconsidered my offer? A lady can only wait so long for someone as handsome as you to sweep her off her feet!" He put his hands on his hips.

Once again, William pondered the thought of launching Sutcliff out the window before realizing how much academic overtime he would endure if he were imprisoned for voluntary manslaughter.

"I apologize Sutcliff, I will not be accepting your invitation now, nor in the future. I suggest the matter be dissolved immediately and remain so from here on out," stated William.

"Alright, Willy," Grell dramatically sighed.

Grell looked at William through wide green eyes filled with undue heartbreak and something else he couldn't quite pinpoint—the look made William severely suspicious.

A small voice in the back of his mind whispered a warning: this would not be the end of Grell's advances.

____________________

Hours later, Grell had finished reinventing Ronald's side of the room. To his annoyance, William somehow managed to silently acknowledge that Sutcliff did succeed in making the area quite homey.

That internal confession sparked jealousy to flow through his body. There were times where he regretted his life choice. It caused loneliness to override any sort of sort affection and happiness, but he felt it was necessary in order to protect his sanity and well-being.

A question formed in his mind: despite having just met, does the boy present the possibility of easing the pain inflicted by his past?

"A masterpiece!" Grell ripped William away from his wandering mind. "Are you sure you wouldn't like more red on your side? It's the color of passion you know."

"I'm sure, Grell. Y' did a great job helpin' me with all this stuff," Ronald thanked his friend.

"I'm always here to help you whenever you need me, darling," Grell smiled warmly, patting the boy on his cheek. A serious, concerned look appeared on his face.

"Ronnie, you know I always worry about you. How you're doing and how you're feeling, if anything is wrong. I don't want anything to happen to you, darling. Are you sure you don't want to come over and live with me?" the crimson man asked. "You might be much happier in a house full of life."

Will's eyes wandered over to the two of them, embarrassed by the need to see the boy's reaction.

Ronald's blue and green gaze peered into the brunet's blue and his smile lit up the room, his eyes sparkling. He rubbed his neck as a deep flush blossomed on his cheeks and ears.

"Yeah, Grell, I think I'll b' happy here," assured Ronald. He was still staring into William's eyes, as if it were the older man he was actually speaking to.

It was William's turn to blush.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's up to you to imagine the sweet, positive little things that led up to this event. Please enjoy :D

**Five weeks later, Friday night**

  
Once again, William found his eyes glazing over as he stared at Ronald when he returned from his shower. Scandalous thoughts made themselves known when the slight chill of the room kissed the boy's naked chest, forcing his nipples to constrict. The black part of his wet, two-toned hair curled against his neck and around the shells of his ears. Visions of running his tongue across the nape of the blond's hair made Will bite his lips as he saw himself licking Ronald's ears. He quietly groaned in frustration, wishing he could see more. The boy had kept true to his word: he made sure the towel was tightly wrapped around his lithe hips.

Will was so enveloped in his sinful reverie, he hadn't noticed that Ronald had turned around and was speaking to him. The boy had a bright glint in his blue and green eyes, and a mischievous smile split across his face—William was caught.

"I'm sorry, Knox. Could you repeat yourself?" William lied, slightly flustered as Ronald's smile grew. To his surprise, the blond winked in a flirty manner.

"What're up to t'night, boss?" he asked, nonchalant.

"I will be working on the assignments I've failed to complete in a timely manner," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Again? Ya really need to come out with me and Grell. I think it'll be good for ya. Have some fun for once."

"I am satisfied with staying indoors this evening. Somehow, I find myself falling behind in my studies at an alarming speed."

"Are y' sure? Grell found some guy to go out with. He's kinda weird—a bit on the gothic side, long silver hair. I can't remember his name, though. It begins with a 'U,' but for some reason, I want t' call him, 'Underwear,'" Ronald laughed. William's eyebrows lifted to the ceiling.

"So she's makin' me go out with some girl, for a double date. I keep trying t' get out of it, but she always ends up pushin' me out the door," he paused, considering his next thought. "If ya come out with us, you'd be a life saver. I rather hang out with you," he blushed at his words. "But not like a date or anything!" William had to stop himself from smirking.

"I believe I would be a hindrance to the gentleman who is courting Mister Sutcliff. I do not wish to interfere." William internally groaned at the thought of spending any recreational time with the crimson haired man.

"Haha, no need to hide it, boss. Ya just want her off your back, huh?"

"Yes. I do not regret to admit that Sutcliff truly is barking up the wrong tree, as one would say. His infatuation is unnecessary and will not be reciprocated," he stated with a crass tone.

"Hey! She's not all tha' bad once ya get t' know her." Ronald swiftly came to his friend's defense.

"I find myself unable to agree with that assumption."

"How are you acquainted with Sutcliff?" Will grimaced as his curiosity got the better of him.

"I've known her for almost half my life. She's stuck with me through a lot and I love her for it. She's my best friend."

"To be frank, after watching your interactions, it would seem you two were romantically involved at one point." _~William, please silence yourself.~_

"What! No! When I say I love her it's more of a big sister/little brother love," he explained. "She's taken a lot of care of me. Ya haven't seen it yet, but she can b' pretty protective." A wicked grin appeared. "Why, are ya jealous of her goin' out with someone after all?"

"No, I assure you. I am not envious of the man who is romantically escorting Sutcliff."

"Ah...so you're jealous of me goin' out with someone."

William's face bloomed an impressive shade of scarlet as words failed to aid in his defense. He stared at Ronald and watched a smug, devilish smirk invade his vision.

Ronald had his answer.

____________________

Ronald returned a few hours later, a look of agony and regret radiated from his body. He slapped his arm over his face and groaned.

"Did you enjoy your evening?" William asked, hoping his blasé attitude would prevent their earlier conversation from surfacing.

"Ugh, no. I was hopin' someone would kill me when we got out of th' car."

"That is quite an extreme reaction. Were you unable to form any other means of escape?"

Ronald had got up from his bed, walked over to Will's desk, and comfortably leaned against it. He looked down at Will.

"Well, we went to th' movies and I tried to sneak off, but Grell snatched me before I could get out th' door. I'm pretty sure she has night vision."

"If I may ask, was the young lady truly that undesirable?"

"Well, no, not really. But I keep tellin' Grell I don't want t' go on anymore dates, but she's convinced it'll be good for me." He shook his head as if the world were ending. "I know Grell wants me to b' happy and all, but I think she's going end up killin' me, instead." William faintly smiled.

"Hey! I've been tryin' to get ya to smile for weeks. Are ya makin' fun of me, boss?" A playful glimmer danced in his eyes.

"I apologize, Mister Knox, but I believe the misery caused by your unsuccessful outing may be attempting to brighten the rest of your night by means of enjoyable hallucinations."

"Haha alrigh', Will." He leaned in close. "Hmm... I bet I can make you smile, again. I won't be holdin' back this time," he challenged Will, confidence vibrating in his words.

"I do not partake in any form of gambling, Knox," William responded, dryly.

"Are ya sure?"

"Yes. I'm quite positive," reiterated Will, wishing it were appropriate to slap the taunting smile off the gorgeous brat's face.

Ronald leaned in closer, cupping William's cheeks, peering deep into his eyes. Will found himself getting lost, drowning in the endless depths of the boy's blue and green stare—he could stay there forever.

"Smile for me, boss," he whispered, his soft breath caressing William's warming cheeks.

Ronald quickly dived in, claiming Will's lips for his own. William's blue eyes widened, but quickly fluttered shut as passion resonated throughout his body. The blond pried his mouth open, his soft tongue dancing across his lips. He felt Ronald's fingertips gently sweep across his jaw, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Strikes of lightning bolted down his spine, igniting his senses. William tried to kiss Ronald with equal ferocity, but he was being consumed from the inside out. He was being sucked in, and he was never coming out.

Ronald let go and they both gasped for air. Their faces were flushed with a fiery passion that begged for more. The boy gently smiled as he ran his thumb across Will's upturned lips.

"Told ya," Ronald murmured before he leaned in for one last kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

William felt Ronald's hands caress his cheeks as the boy let go of his smiling face. He sat there on his creaky desk chair, staring at the younger man as he took a few steps back. Will blinked multiple times, watching the scene play behind his astonished blue eyes. He pushed up his glasses as his vision rewound and played the movie again. His scarlet blush deepened as he remained sitting, staring like an absolute imbecile.

"Are ya alrigh', Will?" asked Ronald, rubbing the back of his neck.

The older man's mouth opened and closed as he tried to respond to the boy—anything he had hoped to say failed to appear.

"W-Will?" Ronald stuttered, a slight panic behind his words. He nervously twisted his fingers together as he shuffled from one foot to the other.

"I'm sorry, Will. I shouldn't have done tha'. I just thought," he swallowed the big lump lodged in his throat. "...Um, I just thought tha' maybe ya..." His gaze averted to the floor.

"Please do speak in complete sentences, Knox. It is poor manners to leave one to surmise what in the heavens you are trying to say," William piped up. The loud sound of his voice made the boy jump. However, Ronald remained silent.

"If you are unable to spit it out, I suppose I will have to finish your sentence for you?" assumed Will, pushing up his black framed glasses.

Silence.

"Well, then," William paused to clear his throat, "based on your inability to look at me, let alone politely answer my questions, I speculate that you thought I would welcome a kiss from you and possibly reciprocate any romantic emotions?" He pushed up his black framed glasses, again.

Ronald's face blazed and he grimaced as if his entire body were on fire. He still refused to look at William, but he nodded as he thickly swallowed.

"I see." William got up, his chair skidding along the laminate floor. He walked over and stood a few feet before Ronald.

"Knox, look at me," he demanded, but Ronald stared at the floor. William took another step forward and snatched the boy's chin, forcing him to look up at the him. When the boy finally met his eyes, he saw tiny pools of tears collecting behind them. Will let out balmy puff of air.

"There is no need for your tears, Ronald Knox," he whispered, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. A confused look masked Ron's face.

"Will, I'm so, so— _umph!_ "

William grabbed the blond by the neck and pulled him into a deep, all-consuming, desperate kiss. He wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, lifting him to lock their lips together.

Ronald's gold tipped eyelashes drifted shut and fanned across his rosy cheeks as he felt Will's soft tongue skim across his lips, dip and lick the inside his warm mouth. His arms reached up to latch around the taller man's neck and sighed as their sizzling embrace ignited his senses. Ronald was so encased in ecstasy as the older man wrapped his tongue around his own, he hadn't realized his legs were trembling. William broke their intoxicating kiss to hold the boy tighter against his torso.

"I would find it quite rude, Knox, if your knees gave out during our kiss," his lustful whisper rippled against Ronald's lips. His nose brushed along the boy's face as he kissed away the blush from his cheeks.

"B-Boss..." Ronald's heart hammered in his chest, ragged gasps escaping his mouth as William's teeth grazed down his throat. His fingers dug into the back of the brunet's neck, the pain making him hiss. William made his way up Knox's throat, gliding his tongue across the soft skin and nipping, tickling the shell of the boy's ear with his sensual breaths.

"Is there something you need?" William murmured, gently tugging Ronald's earlobe with his teeth. His mouth moved over and placed delicate kisses on each of the boy's eyelids. "Ronald?"

"Hmm..." Ron hummed, biting his lower lip as a blissful smile spread across his heated cheeks.

William looked down at the younger man's pink-tinged face. One hand let go of Ronald's waist and ran it through his blonde, feathered locks. The boy's eyes fluttered open, sparkling with excitement and mischief. Will repeated the action, tucking a lose strand behind his ear. He placed a hand on the boy's face, stroking his thumb along the smooth skin.

"Well, well, Mister Knox," he paused to press a dainty kiss on Ronald's lips. "What in the heavens have you done to me?"

"Hmm...Nothing yet, boss," he pointed out with a cheeky, seductive tone.

"Oh, I see." Will lifted a curious eyebrow. "Then I suppose our actions must be revised in order to eradicate our current situation."

"Uh..."

William quickly slammed Ronald against the door and lifted the boy up to wrap his legs around his waist, placing both hands on either side of Ron's head.

"What th' fuck!" Ron yelled in surprise.

"You really should refrain from using such vulgarities." Will pushed his hips forward, grinding between Ronald's legs. The movements slid the blond up the door, forcing loud moans to escape from his throat.

"We should also attempt to keep the volume of our cries, although exhilarating, to a minimum," he rasped in the boy's ear, as he rubbed against him, drawing a frustrated whimper from his mouth. Ron put his hands on Will's shoulders, digging his nails into the shirt each time Will shoved between his pelvis. He lifted his head from the door to capture Will's lips.

"Ya really need t' shut up, boss," he panted into Will's mouth, bucking against him. Will let go of his lips and grazed his teeth along his throat, biting the flesh in the crook of the younger man's neck.

William leaned back to look at the blond. He removed one hand from the door and ran it down the boy's chest and stomach.

"May I?" he asked in a husky tenor, flirting with the button of Ron's jeans. He could feel the blond's arousal and fondled it as he waited for his answer. Ron's breath quickened, his chest rising and falling as he nodded with consent.

"Are you capable of holding yourself once I remove my hands from the door?" Ron firmly pressed himself against the wooden entrance—one hand on Will's shoulder, the other clenching the door handle. He tightened his legs around the older man's waist.

"Y-yes!" He bucked against Will in desperation, panting as the brunet's wide palm slid down his covered chest.

Will removed his other hand, snaking it between their feverish bodies as he reached down to undo Ronald's button and zipper. His fingertips tickled around the boy's hips, dipping them inside the waistband once he reached the blonde's lower spine. He crooked his fingers to latch onto the material.

"Lift up," he ordered. Ronald quickly did as he was told, pressing his hips closer to the older man's groin. A loud gasp spilled from his lips as their bodies touched. Will pulled the boy's jeans and boxers down past his hips and under his ass, only stopping when the clothing could go no further, his stiff erection springing free as he did so. William slipped his hands underneath Ronald's shirt, softly caressing the blond's quivering skin, running his hands down his hips, over his legs, and finally resting between his thighs.

"B-Boss," Ron hit his head against the door and his eyes rolled back as Will grabbed hold of his dick, slowly stroking up and down his twitching shaft. The younger man let out heavy breaths as Will tightened his grip, squeezing as his hand glided up to the sensitive tip.

"Oh, gods," the boy gasped and clenched his eyes, nails scraping into the wooden door.

The brunet increased the pressure around the blond's swollen member, squeezing and picking up speed as he pumped the cock in his hand. He leaned in to kiss Knox's neck, suckling the flesh and licking away the sweat as he slid his thumb over his dick. Sounds of exhilaration filled the air as Will traced dainty circles over the pulsing head, spreading around the salty precum leaking from the tip.

"W-Will...I need...OH!" Ronald wheezed as his knees trembled and toes curled, gasping as Will squeezed the flushed tip.

"What is it you need, Knox?" Will husked in his ear, lust filling each syllable. He placed open-mouth kisses along the younger man's jaw as he made his way to his lips.

"Put m-me d-down!" he shouted, his heart hammering in his chest, falling into cadence with his rapid pants.

"Why in the heavens should I do that?" Will breathed the sultry words into Ron's mouth as his tongue traced around the younger man's lips, nipping the bottom lip as he pressed firmly down on the top of his dick, squeezing the head.

"I can't...gah!...hold on anymore," he moaned into William's mouth, trying to kiss him, but failing as his limbs buckled in protest.

"I suppose that is a reason I am unwilling to contend with," murmured Will, voice thick with desire. He stroked him one last time before putting him down. Will looked at Ronald's flushed face, a mischievous glint glimmering in his mismatched eyes.

"Your turn, boss," he delightfully declared, a wicked smile appearing as he pulled off his jeans and tossed them to the side.

Before William could attempt any sort of remark, Ron had grabbed and threw him against the door, catching him off guard.

"For h-heavens sake, Ronald," he stammered as the enthusiastic boy played with the buttons of his jeans while he kissed and suckled the skin along his collar bone.

The blond unzipped the pants and slid them down, helping the older man out of them before throwing them into a corner. Knox gripped the brunet's harden sex and pumped it a few times as he dropped to his knees. He placed his soft, warm tongue on the head of the man's swollen dick.

"Dear, gods," Will wheezed as Ron teasingly traced the flushed tip with his tongue.

Knox wrapped his lips around the head and softly suckled it, drawing short gasps from the older man. The boy's lips slid past the head, taking the entire length into his mouth. Will groaned as Ronald enthusiastically bobbed his head, sucking his dick in deeper and deeper. The brunet felt the sensitive tip of his cock hit the back of his throat—Ronald swallowed and slurped against the shaft.

"O-Oh...h-honestly..." moaned Will, bucking his hips. A powerfully clenched fist banged against the door as Ronald massaged the aching head with his throat muscles. William choked out unfamiliar noises as the boy continued to pleasure him.

He looked down through glassy, sweat covered eyes at Ronald gliding his dick in and out of his hot mouth, watching as his cheeks pulled in, changing the pressure as he continued his ministrations. The blond squeezed his lips around the base, sucking harder and tightening his mouth as he deliberately made his way to the tip, playfully nipping it before sliding back down his seizing shaft.

William's eyes crossed and he clenched his teeth, shuddering as his fingers found their way into the feathered blonde locks. His breath hitched as his heavy pants battled his pounding heart. He stared as Ronald's snug lips reached the tip. The younger man suckled the head and flicked his tongue along very top. William firmly yanked the the boy's two-toned hair, drawing a quick yelp from the him as he flicked his tongue again and pulled the swollen flesh into his mouth, humming around it as it hit the back of his throat. Will found himself struggling to stay upright as the pleasure electrified him.

"Ronald, please, " he wheezed in uneven breaths, peering down at the boy, "I'm not going to l-last much longer." He hissed, letting go of the boy's hair, his sweaty back slamming against the door. His eyes were still unfocused, melting into the delectable sensations sizzling his body.

Ronald looked up to meet Will's hazy eyes, smiling as he lazily pulled away, nipping the very tip as he stood up. He put his hands under Will's wet shirt, lifting it over his flushed skin before doing the same to his. 

The blond grabbed William's arm, snapping him back into reality. The younger man dragged him to bed and Will passionately kissed him as he fell on top of Ron. He settled between his legs and wrapped his fingers around his cock.

A passionate flush bloomed on Ronald's face, loudly moaning Will's name as the man began to stroke him, teasing his body while biting along his collar bone.

Ron squirmed against Will's cock as he dragged his tongue up the boy's throat, kissing the boy and sucking on his lower lip. The blond panted as they kissed, his husky groans echoing inside the older man's mouth. Will let go of his lips and kissed along his blushing cheek, making his way to his ear.

"Is this what you want, Ronald Knox?" he purred, his breath tickling the shell of the boy's ear. Ron let out a shallow, shuttering breath as he reached into his nightstand for the warming lubricant and condom, practically throwing the items in Will's face.

"Impatient, I see," Will chuckled, running his hand down the boy's stomach to stroke him once more before opening the cap with a click. He coated his fingers with lubricant, feeling it warm up as he spread the liquid around before putting the bottle back on the stand.

Slowly spreading Knox's legs, Will kissed him as he gently pressed his fingertip past the ring of muscle, waiting for a few moments before pressing further inside. He left the boy's mouth and kissed down his throat, feeling Ronald's vocal cords hum against his lips. He pushed his finger in deeper, watching as Ronald closed his eyes and grin through a quiet moan. He pushed in again, circling his finger inside the young man's heated body.

William continued to thrust his fingers as he watched Ron's face redden, his chest rising and falling as he let out airy gasps. He licked the salty sweat from the boy's throat, distracting the blond as he slid in a second finger, scissoring and pushing in deeper and deeper. He hooked his slick digits and carefully pulled out, gently pressing down on the blond's sensitive gland. Ronald's eyes snapped open and he grabbed his pillow, bowing his head back as he wantonly cried out, his toes curling as the brunet's fingers pushed in and out of his tight channel.

The older man spread his fingers into a v-shape and dived inside. He caught the younger man's prostrate between his fingers, tenderly squeezing it. Ronald yelped and bucked his thigh along the older man's erection. The movement of his hips made him cry out again, having pressed against William's fingers of his own accord. He tucked his mouth into the crook of William's neck, biting his earlobe to stifle his heady moans.

In between heavy gasps, Ronald reached down to grab the brunet's twitching sex. He feverishly stroked William's thick shaft, drawing out a loud hiss from between the man's teeth. He continued to push and pull as William worked him with his long fingers, moaning incoherent words into his ear.

"Oh gods...nnggh...Will!" he panted, "I want ya so fuckin' bad...please!" he whimpered with need as Will thrust his fingers in one last time, deliberately stroking the delicious bundle of nerves upon exit. He sat up and put on the condom, coating it with the warm oil.

Will situated himself between Ronald's legs, lifting them up so he can place the tip of his cock at the boy's entrance. He  pumped the blond's dick as he slid in the tip, watching the boy's reaction. Ron's eyes fluttered closed, squirming with excitement as he bit his bottom lip. William slowly eased in deeper, his breath hitching as he felt Ronald's body tighten around him. He could hear Ron's lustful, sensual whimpers, spurring him to dive in further. Will hissed once he was completely inside Ronald, eyes clenching at the feel of the boy's warmth suffocating his stiff shaft.

He leaned down to kiss the younger man, panting inside his mouth as they both adjusted to Will being inside his body. He continued to lick deep into Ron's mouth, gently rocking his hips.

"S-So...tight," Will dropped his head onto Ronald's shoulder, heavily wheezing against his neck. He slowly pulled out and dived in deeper, biting the blond's throat in an attempt to stifle his own sensual moans. His teeth pierced Ron's flesh as he started to thrust, building up a delicious rhythm.

"Oh gods, f-f-fuck harder!" Ronald pleaded and bucked against the brunet's body, gasping as the flushed head of his cock grazed against the man's smooth stomach.

The older man huffed and swiftly obliged his plea, pulling out further and blitzing into his body—the force of the attack pushed the younger man up the bed. William felt Knox's muscles tightened around his hot length as he slid along the dampening sheets, forcing him to choke on his rapid pants.

The brunet lifted one of the boy's legs, propping it against his shoulder to change the angle of his thrusts. The new position pushed William's thick shaft against Ron's prostate, forcing loud cries to erupt from his chest as he soaked up the pleasure building inside him.

Will reached down and pumped Ron's cock, squeezing it as he continued to forcefully drive inside him, punishing his heavenly spot on impact. The younger man wrapped his arms around Will's back, scratching and scraping away the heated flesh in cadence with the assault against his swelling core.

"W-Will, I'm g-gonna—OH!" he passionately cried out William's name as the man's throbbing dick hit his sweet spot. Ronald's back arched off the bed as he came hard all over the man's fingers.

He pushed harder, deeper inside Ron as the intensity of the blond's orgasm clenched around his length. A loud primal groan vibrated against the boy's neck as Will found his own release, his dick bucking inside Ronald's body.

Will lifted his head, heavily panting as he looked down at the boy's rosy, ecstatic face. He leaned down to press his forehead against Ronald's, each gasping for air as beads of sweat cascaded along their heated bodies.

"Tha' was a-amazing," moaned Ronald, basking in the heavenly pleasure he just experienced.

"I-I concur," Will wheezed, kissing the side of the blond's lips as he eased himself out of his body. He sat up and closed Ronald's legs, twitching as the aftershocks of ecstasy continued to ripple throughout his trembling limbs.

Ronald reached up to Will, planning to kiss him, but Will tipped over and fell to the floor—a laugh burst from the older man's lips.

"What th' hell, Will!" Ronald exclaimed, looking over the side of the bed.

Will grabbed Ron's arm and yanked him off the mattress, pulling him in for a deep kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

**Three weeks later, Saturday afternoon**

A soothing breeze blew into his hair, whisking the dark strands along the shell of his ear. The delicate wind swept away a harsh sound as it receded; it echoed against his eardrum. The gusts cycled numerous times—a warm, pleasant air pressed against his ear, an ugly sound ran after the gales as they swirled away. William's eyes blinked open and he followed the source of the conflicting pattern. He sighed.

Ronald was snoring in his ear.

He reached over to his nightstand, hastily patting around for his much needed spectacles. However, his hand landed on his alarm clock. The bright red numbers pierced through his extremely blurry vision—it was 4 o'clock pm!

"Ronald," he said, voice heavy with sleep as he put on his glasses. He shook his shoulder in order to wake up the blond. It was a failed attempt.

"Do wake up, Knox. I have an overwhelming amount of work I must catch up on." Will reached around and shoved him in the arm. The boy hadn't moved a muscle.

_~Gods, this fool could sleep through a life altering earthquake!~_

"Ronald!" he snapped, throughly agitated.

"Mmm...no..." the little brat whispered in his ear, wiggling closer to the fuming brunet.

"Ronald Knox, you have tried my patience beyond measure. If you do not roll over so I can get out of bed, I will have no other choice but to throw you out the window. At least then I will be able to study in peace."

"Alrigh', alrigh'," Ronald grumped, glowering as he stood up to let the man slide by. As Will walked away, a loud slap sounded in the air—the boy had smacked his rear! He swiftly turned around, throwing deadly daggers with his icy stare.

"Must you be so childish, Knox?" William hissed, throwing his acidic words in Ronald's faux-angelic face.

The brat winked.

William's ears and cheeks dusted pink at the flirty gesture. His blush deepened knowing that he quite enjoyed the experience. He pushed up his glasses.

_~Murder or academics?~_

"Go back to sleep, Knox," he ordered, siding with the latter option. "Hopefully a few additional hours of rest will enhance your maturity."

"Alrigh', boss," Ronald gave a mock salute, and flashed a charming smile through a tiny yawn. He jumped into bed, falling asleep as his head hit the pillow.

William closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He sat down at his desk and grabbed his pile of class notes.

Time to work.

____________________

Hours later, William was still at his desk. He was leaning in the chair with his head resting against the cool wall. His heavy lids were closed—his eyes oscillating right and left as he processed what he just read, committing it to memory.

As he continued to memorize, he felt something run up the insides of his legs. The sensation was immensely soothing, especially having sat in this uncomfortable desk chair for what felt like days.

The law student sighed as the mysterious objects slid up his lower limbs. He could feel sleep slowly engulfing him until whatever was touching him, firmly grabbed him between his thighs.

"What in the heavens!" William yelped as his blue eyes swiftly snapped open. He looked down at the intruder—it was Ronald. The blond looked up at him through his oddly shaped glasses with wide, blue and green eyes, his gold tipped eyelashes innocently fluttering around them. William scowled, yet his spine tingled as the boy massaged his groin.

"I will ask you once more, Knox," he let out a shuddering breath, "please be courteous and allow me to study."

"I'm helpin' you," remarked Ronald, cocking his head to the side as he fondled the older man. William's pulse quickened with the feel of his lover's hands on him.

"You are most certainly not trying to help me. You are distracting me," he argued.

"Sorry boss, but multiple studies show tha' doing somethin' ya like while studying helps y' remember what ya learned." Ronald slid up William's body, kissing up his neck.

"Even if such findings exist, I will not be able to engage in our activity while participating in class." William's eyes widened as the blond's warm breath tickled his ear.

"No...but ya can think about it," he purred the sultry words, licking his boyfriend's earlobe after the last syllable left his tongue. A low moan burst past Will's lips.

William attempted to push up his glasses, only to leave them askew as Ronald popped open the button of his jeans. Once again, the sound of the zipper reminded Will of their numerous bouts of excellent love making—sometimes throughout the night. And the thought of the criminally pleasurable and scandalous things his lover's tongue could do to his senses... He blushed furiously

Ronald reached into the brunet's pants and pulled out his hardened, flushed sex.

"Alrigh', let's study," he declared through a devilish smile, a firm grip on William's cock.

"H-Honestly, I do not think—"

The blond flicked his moist tongue over the tip of William's swollen length, forcing him to falter with his words.

"Do you not have your own work to review?" accosted William. Ronald sucked on the tip in response, making the older man wantonly hiss.

"Yeah, boss. We're both studyin' right now," the boy pointed out. He licked the tip again, watching the brunet surrender under his deliberate touch.

"A-Alright." William quickly grabbed a stack of notes. "I will read to you my opposition on a verdict we are discussing in class."

"Let's get to it!"

Ronald pulled the brunet's dick into his hot mouth, wrapping his lips at the base of the head. He ran his tongue against it, tracing circular patterns on the tip. Will let out a heavy pant as he firmly gripped the papers in his shaky hands.

"You're suppose t' be readin' to me," Ronald reminded William, watching the brunet's chest rise and fall through airy gasps. He bit the sensitive tip to regain the man's attention.

"Oh! Y-Yes, you are correct," he cleared his throat, searing heat burning through his veins. "This case involved a man being c-c-convicted of mans-slau—," he stuttered as the younger man took his entire length into his mouth, sucking deeply on his rigid shaft.

"Wha'?" Ronald mumbled through a full mouth. William swallowed thickly at the feel of the vibrations caused by Knox's words.

"Of robbery?" His brow scrunched up in confusion, his memory failing him due to the heavenly treatment he was receiving.

"Ooh..." The blonde hummed and bobbed his mouth along William's cock as if he were nodding his head in acknowledgment to the information.

"I believe he stole a bird?" William's breath hitched as Ronald sucked in his cheeks, increasing the pressure around his sex.

Their gazes connected and the boy's eyes sparkled—he knew he had control over Will. Ronald pulled the older man's dick into his mouth, the swollen tip hitting the back of his throat. William moaned.

"The m-murderer stole a—," William groaned out his lover's name as he felt the flushed head of his shaft being massaged by the blond's throat muscles. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Ronald bit him again to bring his mind back to their lesson.

"He hugged a flamingo!" His breath hitched to a painful level. "I can't last much l-longer, Knox." he confessed, breathless.

Ronald continued his ministrations, reveling in the fact that he had taken over William's mind. He smiled at the sound of the taller man's wanton moans.

There was a heavy knock on the door.

The blond pulled William's cock deeply into his mouth and massaged the tip with his throat. He felt William's stiff member twitch as he repeated the movement.

The impatient knock pounded again as William threw back his head as the increased pleasure took over his vocal cords.

Ronald quickly slapped his hand over the older man's mouth. William's cry vibrated against his hand as his orgasm rained over his body, moaning at the feel of the blond swallowing his libation.

Knox kept his hand on Will's lips to stifle the excess heavy pants escaping the brunet's mouth, only removing it when his breath calmed.

"Ronnie! Open up. I know you're in there!" Grell yelled through the other side of the door.

Ronald quickly got up and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Ron placed a soft, yet passionate kiss on William's lips. He smiled at the older man and winked.

"Comin' Grell. Give me a sec!" He fanned his face in hopes of chasing away the blush on his cheeks before he opened the door.

William quickly swiveled in his chair to readjust himself. He pushed up his glasses as he directed his already preoccupied mind to the open book in front of his face, using it to hide the tiny smile and intense flush on his skin.

"Hello Ronnie, hello Willy," Grell cheered as he entered the room, but the cheerfulness rapidly turned into a pout. "How could you leave me out there for so long!"

"I'm sorry, Grell. I guess I've turned into a slowpoke, heh," Ron replied. Grell's gaze wandered over his face.

"Are you alright, darling? You look a little flushed in the face," Grell asked, concern in his tone.

"I'm fine, I promise!" Ronald rubbed his neck and let out a shaky laugh. He quickly glanced at William out of the corner of his eye as he subconsciously wiped his mouth. He looked back at his friend, a red eyebrow raised—he was caught.

The younger man gave Grell a shy charming, smile, hoping to erase whatever assumptions were flowing through his friend's mind. Deep down he knew it was fruitless; Grell knew exactly what they had been doing. His shy smile slowly turned into a grimace.

"If you say so, Ronnie," the Crimson haired-man surrendered, his tone testy. Grell turned his gaze to William and scowled.

William hadn't looked at the redhead, but he could feel Sutcliff staring at the blazing heat torching his entire being.

"So...what did ya come by for?" interjected Ronald, rescuing William. It worked.

"Undie and I have come to take you away for a date! Don't tell me you forgot?" Grell looked at Ronald through heartbroken eyes.

"Grell, I told ya. I don't want t' do it anymore." He looked at Grell, torn between what he wanted and not wanting to hurt his friend at the same time.

"But why! I even brought you this fabulous red shirt. You need to have more color in your wardrobe."

"I just..." William could see Ronald's gaze flicker to him out of the corner of his eye. "I think it's time for me t' stop with th' dates and all." He ran a hand through his blonde hair. "And you know I really hate th' color red. But not on you!" He swiftly added, "it looks great on you."

Grell let out a heavy sigh. "If I cancel the date, will you at least join me with Undie?" William stealthily turned around to see the blond's response.

"Yeah I'll—"

"Wait! Where is my handsome Undie?" Grell squeaked, cutting Ronald off mid-sentence. Grell looked out into the hallway. "Undie! Come in."

A man dressed all in black with a skull on his shirt, a bit gothic, with floppy silver hair strolled into the room. William agreed with Ronald—he was, indeed, an interesting fellow. He walked over to greet William.

"It's Willy, yeah?" He held out his hand. "Grell's always talking about ya."

"It is a pleasure to meet a friend of Sutcliff's," William lied, struggling to be polite with anything that had to deal with the Crimson Horror. He shook the gothic man's hand. "I prefer to be called 'William'."

"Alrigh', William. You can call me 'Undertaker'." He gave William an odd smile.

"What!" Ronald interrupted their introduction. "Your name is Undertaker?"

"Yeah it's Undertaker, Ronnie," he answered.

"Grell's always callin' ya 'Undie,' so I thought y' real name was 'Underwear'...for some reason..." Red burned the tips of Ronald's ears.

"Hah! Don't fancy wearing those!" Undertaker cackled in a maniacal tone. William and Ronald's eye met; their eyebrows shot to the ceiling.

"Oh hush, darling," Grell placed a hand on Undertaker's arm, caressing it with a loving touch. "There's no need to let everyone know what I get to see every night!" he seductively purred.

William internally gagged at the scene, praying the gods would intervene with the intentions of death.

Grell tore his sparkling eyes away from the Undertaker and peered at William, but spoke to the blond.

"We need to have a little chat, Ronnie," Grell announced with a no-nonsense tone. He continued to glare at Will with fiery eyes. If William was extremely gullible, he would have sworn that the Crimson Death was baring sharp fangs at him.

"We do?"

"Yes."

"I'll wait downstairs for you guys, yeah?"

"Alright Undie. We won't take long." Sutcliff blew hearts in the air, waving them in the gothic man's direction.

"Come on Ronnie, dear," Grell said as he dragged the boy across the room. The blond looked over his shoulder at Will, a confused, anxious expression flashed behind his blue and green eyes.

The door closed with an impressive bang.

William knew it was crass and severely beneath him, but he couldn't help but press his ear to the door to eavesdrop on their hurried, whispered conversation.

_"What are you doing, Ronald?" Grell asked in a harsh, chastising voice, his hands on his hips._

_"Grell, I don't understand what you're talkin' about."_

_"I love you beyond words, darling, but please do not lie to me, Ronald Knox. You know I can have very little patience." The redhead scowled, agitated._

_"Grell, I really don't—"_

_"What are you doing with that man?" clipped Grell, cutting off Ronald's words._

_"Wha'? Uh...I...um." Ronald rubbed his neck._

_"You can either answer me or I can force it out of him." The angry threat imminent in his voice._

_"I like 'im, Grell. I lo-like Will a lot." The boy blurted out, knowing full well what his friend would do to his roommate if he didn't come clean. Grell lifted an eyebrow at the blond's slip up._

_"Do you really like that frigid man? I may tease him, but he is very cold. Emotionless."_

_"Yeah I do, alrigh'? I like 'im and he makes me happy. I'm finally happy. That's enough for me." Ronald answered after a long pause, wincing at the unpleasant look on Grell's face._

_"Does he like you, Ronnie?" The toe of Grell's heels tapped on the floor._

_"Yes!"_

_"Has he told you that you make him happy?"_

_"He doesn't have it say it."_

_"How can you be so sure? He didn't even want you here!"_

_"I-I..." the boy stuttered, hesitation and confusion in his voice._

_"What if he's simply just using you?" Grell seethed, his patience snapping with each tap of his foot._

_"I d-don't..." Ronald replied, unshed tears flowed through his voice. "Jus' stop. You're startin' to confuse me. Why are you doin' this?" His voice cracked._

_Ronald pulled at the black locks at the base of his head as he paced back and forth, his heart pounding, anxiety closing in on him._

_"Is he making you do things you don't want to do?"_

_"Wha'? No!" He stopped in his tracks and whipped his head to look at Grell._

_"What does tha' have t' do with this? I don't want to think about it anymore! Why can't you let me forget it?" Ronald hissed, furious that his past was brought into the conversation. He felt tears peppering his cheeks._

_"It has to do with everything!" Grell argued, throwing his arms in the air, tears pooling behind his green eyes. "We worked so hard to get you away from those awful people who tried to ruin you. I don't want some heartless man to come into your life and break you. I will not let another monster throw you back into that dark hole!"_

_"But Will is not like them," Ronald sniffed back his own tears and sighed—he wanted this chat to be over._

_"I think he likes me back and he never makes me do things I don't want t' do. He always asks and I say yes. Please, Grell. Don't try to ruin this for me, even if I get hurt in th' end. Jus' let it be 'kay? Let me get my hoodie. Underwear's been waitin' long enough."_

William ran back to his seat before the door could open. Ronald walked in with such bright, sunny smile, no one would be able to tell there was pain behind his beautiful mismatched eyes. William, on the other hand, could only hope that the sadness aching in his chest was successfully hidden underneath his stoic features.

Ronald walked over to Will and placed his palms on the man's shoulders. He bent down to stare into the brunet's gaze.

"Well. I'm bein' dragged off now with th' love birds," the blonde dramatically rolled his eyes. "Do y' wanna come with me?" He pouted. "Save me from all the hearts that'll be floating around?" William's lips twitched with amusement.

"I apologize, Knox, I will be staying in doors. Thanks to you, I will be enduring another round of academic overtime," he teased the boy, flashing the biggest smile he could. He was surprised to see that his words actually made Ronald blush.

"To be perfectly honest, I do think I have had my fair share of the Crimson Horror for the next century. Please enjoy yourself in my stead." William tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind Ronald's ear. He leaned forward and kissed the boy's forehead.

"Ha! Alrigh', Will. See ya later," Ronald laughed as he saluted his goodbye.


	7. Chapter 7

**One week later, Friday night**  

The two lovers laid in bed, limbs intertwined within a layer of sweat left over by a night of passion. Ronald was straddling William's hips, his cheek pillowing the older man's chest. He let out a soft, satisfied sigh, reveling in William's intimate touch as his fingers danced up and down his back. He grinned against the brunet's warm skin, entranced by the intricate waltz gliding across his spine.

Every so often, William would push back the wet blonde locks sticking to his face and place a delicate kiss on his forehead. The sensuality of his lips grazing across his moist skin relaxed Ronald, easing his soul and comforting his mind. He started to hum an animated tune.

"Hmm," William mumbled, running his fingers through damp blonde hair. "I do apologize Knox, but I must say, that is a terrible melody."

"I think deep down ya like it," the boy laughed.

"I believe there is a possibility that your song may be enjoyable at some level," he replied, placing a chaste peck on his forehead. The gesture painted Ronald's cheeks with a faint shade of pink.

For a few moments, quietness filled the air; only their gentle breaths permeated their surroundings.

"Hey, Will?" the sound of Ronald's shy voice broke the silence.

"Ronald?" William murmured along the younger man's hairline.

"Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"You may."

"Alrigh'...Um...Are ya happy?" he asked, his question filled with apprehension. "I-I mean happy with me? Do I make ya happy?"

William knew this particular question stemmed from the conversation he overheard between the boy and Grell Sutcliff. He had been hesitant to mention anything about it to Ronald for he was unsure as to what he should say in regards to their exchange.

William lifted his lover's chin so he could look directly into his blue and green eyes.

"Desperately so, Ronald Knox," he whispered, a smile adorning his face as his thumb ran across the boy's blooming cheeks.

Ronald sighed and laid back down on the brunet's firm chest, resting closer to his neck. His hand snaked up behind Will's ear, playing with the damp brunette tendrils curled around the shell of his ear. His eyes fluttered shut as he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"Y' make me happy, too. Really happy," he replied in a hushed tone.

"It greatly pleases me to hear you say that."  
William felt Ronald's smooth skin nuzzle his neck.

A long bout of silence fell over them once again. William listened to the blond's sighs, his breaths evening out and slowing in frequency. They sounded peaceful in such a way that William thought Knox had fallen asleep. He rubbed his thumb along his shoulder blade, massaging it with little circles.

"Mmm," Ronald hummed, its fluttering sound full of contentment. "Y' really know how to use those fingers, boss," he teased.

"You truly are very cheeky when it comes to your colorful choice of words," remarked William, ears reddening at the suggestion beneath the younger man's compliment.

"Can I ask you somethin' else, boss?" Knox thickly swallowed the caution in this throat.

"I am under the impression that you will do so despite my response," Will said, dryly.

"Yeah, you're right." He cleared his throat. "You didn't want t' talk about it before, but will ya tell me now? Why ya didn't want me here?"

"Before any other words are spoken, may I make something very clear, Ronald?"

"Alrigh'."

"I am very pleased that you are here and I do hope that you will stay...w-with m-me," he stuttered the last few words, blushing as he felt Knox's wide smile against his neck. William let out a nervous sigh.

"Do you truly wish to know the reasoning behind my prior intensions, regardless of whether or not they are pleasant?" he asked.

Ronald nodded.

"Alright. I do not claim to be an accomplished narrator. Therefore, I am not one to appreciate interruptions, nor am I one who enjoys reiteration. I ask that you be kind and leave any comments and questions for later."

"I'll listen t' whatever ya have t' say," Ron agreed.

William looked up at the ceiling, staring as the lights flickered against the dark concrete, contemplating on how to convey his thoughts with as little words as possible. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat, surprised that he was willing to divulge any hidden parts of his life.

"As you know, I was previously in the military. There were things in my career that had accompanied me when I returned home. They were sounds—mostly screams and gunfire, the taste of copper, and colors." Will's blurry gaze blinked at the bright lights above him, his eyes following the patterns created by passing cars.

"I was mostly fine during the waking hours. I began my undergraduate studies, engaged in day to day activities, interacted with others. I had a roommate as well, but he knew nothing of my time in the military." He felt Ronald's eyebrows shoot up at the mention of a roommate. "I suppose I endured something akin to peace and happiness."

"However at night, rest was difficult to maintain. If somehow I did manage to sleep, it was not a wholly feat, nor did it last very long. I dreamt of popping sounds, tastes, colors, but for some unimaginable reason, I did not dream of people or objects. These dreams frequently jolted me from sleep. I would wake up sweating, my teeth grinding together." Will let out a staggering sigh, his eyebrows furrowing as his thoughts raced in circles.

"There was a particular night that concluded in a strenuous manner. According to my former roommate, I was yelling and writhing during the night. He attempted to wake me and when he did succeed, I regained consciousness only to find that I was choking him. I knew by the look on his face, he would always fear me in some way. I immediately moved to a separate room and took many leaps to ensure that I remained in a room only occupied by myself." William look down at Ron, finding that the boy was already looking at him.

"I was apprehensive about sharing a room with you because I did not want to possibly scare you or hurt you in some way," admitted William, his tone remorseful. He cupped the blond's chin, rubbing his thumb along his cheek. "I would be beyond devastated if a day were to arise where you are frightened of me."

Ronald shifted his head in William's hand, placing a soft kiss on the man's palm. "I'll never be afraid of ya, Will."

"I truly hope so," Will replied, smiling softly.

Ronald placed his head on William's shoulder and resumed playing with the dark hair behind his ear.

"Y' talk in your sleep," he whispered.

"I do?"

"Yeah, but I can't understand wha' you're saying. It seems like maybe you're speakin' in another language. That's all, though. Nothin' scary," reassured Ronald, pressing his lips against the side of Will's neck in a soothing gesture.

"Let's hope that it stays that way," William murmured against the boy's forehead, rubbing his hand along his back.

Ronald's eyes fluttered shut and he sighed.

"I love ya, Will. I won't be goin' anywhere any time soon. I promise," he stated through a big yawn.

William's eyes widened at Ronald's declaration, but the boy's soft snores filled the air before he had the opportunity to reply. He wrapped his arms him, kissing his forehead as he closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Knox," he murmured through a smile.

____________________

_" **You** are the reason this is happening **Ronald**. It's your fault that your father left. You have to take care of us now. I don't care how much it hurts or how much you cry or how much you beg, you will do as I say. If I have to, I'll gag you and tie you down to this bed so you can give these people what they **paid** for!"_

  
William woke up to a blood curdling scream.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything that is in italics are thoughts Ronald has while he's unconscious.
> 
>  **Warning:** be wary of the tags.

Ronald's gold-tipped eyelashes fluttered shut and he sighed.

"I love ya, Will. I won't be goin' anywhere any time soon. I promise," he stated through a big yawn.

His beating heart screeched to a halt as he realized what he had just confessed to the brunet. He could feel his cheeks sizzling hotter than the sun; most likely, the cheek pillowing William's chest was branding the poor man's skin.

He heard the brunet's breath hitch and his pulse quicken, but before he could give the law student a chance to respond, he took the cowardly way out and let out a faux snore.

The blond 'snored' again as he felt his lover's arms wrap around him and his soft kiss press against his forehead.

"Goodnight, Knox."

The boy let out a deeply relieved sigh once he was sure that the older man had fallen asleep.

Ron continued to lay on top of William, nuzzling closer to his neck, as his thoughts drifted towards William's story. His mind latched on to the sounds of gunfire the taller man had heard during his time in the service as he finally succumbed to sleep. 

His blue and green eyes oscillated left and right, as he dreamt of an audible click.

The click pressed play and a horror film reeled through his mind's eye.

 

⏮◀️⏹⏸▶️⏭

 

**Click. Play.**

_"Hi! I'm Finnian. What's your name?"_

_A kid with bright, sparkling cerulean blue eyes waved at me from across the room. His crazy blonde hair was pinned back with red bobby pins. The boy had a straw hat hanging behind his neck with a tulip on top of it. He had on beige shirt and plaid pants with thick-looking black boots. Not too sure what the deal is with his clothes, but I guess if he's comfortable...whatever._

_Finnian looked a little too enthusiastic considering the situation we were in. His smile was seriously happy. I know that happy grin will be gone soon enough._

_"Hey. I'm Ronald." I waved back with a pathetic attempt at a smile._

_"It's nice to meet you, Ronald!" He giggled._

  
**Ronald's dream clicked—the movie paused, forcing him to stare into Finnian's bright blue eyes.**

**Suddenly, images flashed behind his eyes as the flick rewound and pressed play at the very beginning.**

  
_I ducked as a large crystal vase was thrown at me; it shattered against the wall, pieces scattering along the floor._

_"Mum! Ya 'ave to stop!" I yelled, trying to get her attention as she threw random objects around the room._

_The woman with long dark hair frantically paced back and forth, her arms angrily flailing about as if she were having a heated argument with an imaginary person._

_"Mum!"_

_My mum stopped in her tracks, whipping her head to look directly at me. Her blue eyes blazed with a maniacal fire. She stomped towards me, shards of glass cracking beneath her feet. I stumbled back towards the wall._

_"This is your fault," she seethed with a disgusted look on her face, her finger painfully digging into my chest._

_"Ya keep sayin' that. It's not my fault he left! I don't know wha' ya want me t' do!"_

_She punched me with surprising force, knocking me to the floor. My hands slapped against bits of glass. I looked at my palms—they were engraved with glass and blood circled around the clear pieces. I glanced up at her, our eyes connecting. She kneeled down and leaned in closer to my face._

_"You're going to pay."_

  
**Click. Pause. The video fast forwarded. Click. Play.**

_"Hey. I'm Ronald." I waved back with a pathetic attempt at a smile._

_"It's nice to meet you, Ronald!" He giggled._

_"Heh...it's nice t' meet ya, too."_

_Finnian looked around the room, twiddling his thumbs._

_"How old are you, Ronald?" Finnian asked._

_"I'm 15, you?"_

_"I'm 12!"_

_I gagged down the bile that threatened to burn my throat. Twelve?_

_My palms pressed into my eyes, trying to shut out the things I'll be seeing in the future._

_The sound of a door creaking open resonated into the room. My eyes whipped to the door as I listened to the muffled voices floating towards us. Heavy footsteps paused on the other side._

_"He's new. Very sweet and adorable! I'm sure you'll love him," my mom cheerfully announced to whomever she was with._

_"Of course I'll love him. You always find the best after all, Marie," they answered._

_The door opened and the two intruders stepped into the room. My eyes widened and I paled. Hysteria escalated through my body. I couldn't let Finnian go with this particularly cruel customer. They'll destroy him._

_"Hello, Finny," my mom smiled warmly._

_"Hi, miss!" he chirped._

_My mom gestured to the person standing next to her._

_"This kind person wants to spend the evening with you. Would you like that, Finny?"_

_The customer smiled, waved a little wave, and winked. "Hello, Finnian. Come with me?"_

_"Hi! Sure. I'll go with you," he agreed, innocently beaming as he started to get up._

_I don't think the kid realizes what's going on._

_"No! No!" I nearly yelled. "I'll g-go. I know wha' ya like anyway, righ'?" I let out a shaky laugh. My mum nearly sliced my throat with the daggers she threw with her eyes._

_"That's true," they admitted. "C'mon, Ron. Let's go have some fun, eh?"_

_I let out a small sigh a relief as I stood up from the bed and walked to the door. They wrapped their arm around my shoulder and pressed a kiss against my temple._

_"Bye, Ronald!" Finnian waved._

_I whimpered as the door closed behind me._

  
**Click. Pause. Click. Images flashed ahead. Click. Play.**

_"S-S-Stop, please!" I stuttered through tears._

_The gun fired and blood splashed against my face. I screamed._

  
**Click. Pause.**

A blood curdling scream echoed in William's ear and he jerked awake. Ronald was still laying on top of him, shaking and shrieking.

"Ronald!" Will cried, panic and confusion pulsed through his body—his eyes widening, heart pounding.

He shook the boy's shoulder in an attempt to rouse him from his sleep. The movement stopped the blond's wails, but the loud shouts tampered off into whimpers and cries.

William shifted Knox on to his lap and sat up with his arms wrapped around him, cradling his head against his shoulder. He lifted the boy's chin.

"Ronald, wake up," he said, softly slapping his cheeks.

William watched tears fall down Ron's face as he continued to cry and make little noises filled with pain. Liquid dribbled from his lips, warm sweat slicked his skin.

"Oh gods," he muttered, bending his head down and pressed his forehead against Ron's. He started to lean back and forth, gently rocking the younger man in hopes to ease him out of the night terror he was trapped in.

He wiped tears away from his lover's cheek as he continued to sob in Will's arms.

"Please, please, please," William whispered in a prayer

  
**Click. Pause. Click. The cinematic record rewound. Click. Play.**

_I cried as my mum dragged me into a room and threw me onto the cold, hard stone floor. I looked around through the tears blurring my vision. Two beds sat on either side of room. The place was windowless._

_"M-Mum," I sobbed. "P-Please don't d-do this. Please. I don't want them to touch me. W-Why are you doin' this to me?"_

_My mum laughed._

_"You are the reason this is happening, Ronald. It's your fault that your father left. You have to take care of us now. I don't care how much it hurts, how much you cry or how much you beg, you will do as I say. If I have to, I'll gag you and tie you down to this bed so you can give these people what they paid for!" She shrieked, a hysterical note burst through her lips._

_"P-Please!"_

_She grabbed my shirt and lifted me to the floor. She slapped me across my cheek._

_"Someone is here to see you. You will be good to this person. They're paying a lot of money to spend time with you. Be a good boy," she said in a threatening, yet motherly voice. She readjusted my clothes and brushed her hands through my hair...making me presentable._

_The door creaked open and a face peeked through. "Marie? Can I come in?" the customer asked._

_"Yes! He is all ready for you," my mum answered._

_The person walked through the door and closed it behind them. They stared at me with a bright smile._

_"Hello, Ronald," they said._

_My mum pinched the back of my arm._

_"H-Hi..."_

_They walked over and stood in front of me._

_"You have very beautiful eyes. One blue, the other green." They walked around, inspecting me. "Blonde and black hair? Very exotic." They stopped next to my mum. "He truly is a beautiful boy, Marie!"_

_"I told you my son was a very handsome gentleman," she boasted, patting my cheek. "I'll be back soon. You two have fun!" She waved and walked out the door, locking it._

_I bent my head to the floor and silently cried, hoping this was some sort of nightmare._

_"Tch...there's no need to cry," the person lifted my head and wiped a tear from my cheek. I winced and backed against the wall._

_"Please don't do this," I begged through my tears._

_The person pressed themselves against me and cupped my cheek. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure we'll both have a great time." They kissed me_.

  
**Click. Pause. Click. The horror flick fast forwarded three paces. Click. Play.**

_My stomach was pressed against the wall and they were behind me, naked. I cried and hiccuped as they kissed the back of my neck and ran their fingers through my hair._

_"N-N-Noo.." I stuttered._

_"Shh," they whispered in my ear._

_I screamed as I felt my body split in two. I could feel something warm running down my legs—blood._

_I yelled again, crying and throwing up whatever I had in my stomach._

_"S-St—" The person covered my mouth._

_My shriek was muffled against their clammy hand. I started to throw up against their fingers, nearly choking on my own vomit._

  
**Click. Pause.**

William continued to rock Ronald, kissing the top of his head as he felt rare tears fall onto his own cheeks.

_"S-St..."_

"S-St.." the boy stuttered in his sleep. His head leaned back against Will's arm.

"Ronald!" William shook him again.

The blond opened his mouth again, but instead of words, vomit poured from his lips.

Will snapped Ron's head up and tilted it down. He found himself placing his fingers inside his lover's mouth, scooping out sick. He gagged as it ran down his stomach, but at the moment he didn't care.

He wiped away what was hopefully the last of the vomit. Ron began to tremble, his teeth snapping together.

  
**Click. Pause. Click. The film sped by. Click. Play.**

_I laid in my bed, curled into a tight ball. My hands were over my ears, hoping that between my tears, shouts, and muffled ears, the sounds would drown out Finnian's screams in the next room._

  
**Click. Pause.**

William pulled Ronald's face into the crook of his neck and kissed his temple.

"Min amas vin, mia birdeto," he whispered into the boy's ear.

"Vekas, bonvolu. Min amas vin."

  
**Click. Pause. The movie fast forwarded. Click. Play.**

_"This is your punishment, Ronald," my mum stated._

_"I'm sorry! You don't 'ave t' do this. It won't happen again," I yelled._

_"Well of course it won't," she answered, dryly._

_"Then don't. I'll make it up to ya. I promise." I hiccuped._

_"This is your fault. I hope you'll learn your lesson."_

_My mum raised the gun in her hand. She pulled the trigger._

_"No!"_

_The bullet fired and hit its target. I screamed as blood splattered on my face._

  
**Click. Pause. The flick slow motion rewind. Click. Play.**

_Blood whisked away from my face and my scream dived back into my lungs._

_"!oN"_

_The bullet retracted from its target and flew back into the firearm._

_My mum slowly let go of the trigger and put her arm down._

_".nossel ruoy nrael ll'uoy epoh I. tluaf ruoy si sihT."_

  
**Click. Pause. The video resumed forward. Click. Play.**

_Finnian's cerulean blue eyes shimmered with tears. He stared at me. I could see the fear in his eyes, but there was also desperation. He wanted it to be over. Broken._

_"I failed ya, Finny. I'm sorry I couldn't get ya out of here."_

_"It's alright, Ronald! Please don't cry. I want you to smile and be happy! For me," he said in a voice that pleaded to be its usually chipper self. His innocence and enthusiasm were gone._

_"I—" I started, but was cut off when the door slammed open. My mum walked through the entrance._

_She walked over and slapped me. "How dare you?!"_

_"Mum, I'm sorry!"_

_She grabbed me by the shoulders and started to shake me._

_"Your little friend is valuable. How could you do this to your mother? Why steal from me?" She hissed._

_"I-I..." I stuttered._

_My mum stood up and cleared her throat. "It's no matter. I will find another one. I have to do this in order to show you what happens when you disobey me."_

_I locked eyes with Finny. He smiled a watery smile._

_"This is your punishment, Ronald," my mum stated._

_"I'm sorry! You don't 'ave t' do this. It won't happen again," I yelled, unable to tear my gaze away from the little boy._

_"Well of course it won't," she answered, dryly._

_"Then don't. I'll make it up to ya. I promise." I hiccuped._

_"This is your fault. I hope you'll learn your lesson."_

_My mum raised the gun in her hand. She pulled the trigger._

_"No!"_

_The bullet fired and hit its target. I screamed as blood splattered on my face._

_I looked through the sticky liquid at the boy in front of me. All I could see was his cerulean blue eyes staring into mine._

_"F-Finny," I sobbed._

  
**Click. Pause. Click. Stop.**

Ronald's eyes snapped open and his mouth dropped.

"Ronald. Are you alright?" William nearly shouted. He turned the boy's head and looked into unfocused eyes.

_"F-Finny."_

"F-Finny," Ron mumbled.

"Finny?" William's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who's Finny?"

_"My friend. He died."_

"My friend. He died," he replied.

"Please forgive me, but I do not understand what you're speaking about."

_"Didn't you hear it?"_

"Didn't you hear it?" The boy asked, blinking at Will through cloudy eyes.

"Hear what, Ronald? Tell me."

_"The gun! They shot him! Didn't you hear the gun?"_

"The gun! They shot him! Didn't you hear the gun?" He exclaimed in a hysterical tone. His eyes started to droop.

"Ronald, look at me," Will stuttered, patting his cheeks.

Ronald opened his eyes, blinking furiously. He looked up at William through crystal clear eyes.

"Will?" Confusion was written on his pale, clammy face.

"Yes, I am here." William grabbed Ron's forehead and kissed it. "I am here," he reassured him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, boss."

"There is absolutely no reason for you to apologize," he stated.

He laid his head down against the crook of William's neck.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Ronald cried.

 


	9. Chapter 9

After the sounds of tears had waned into soft snores, William scooped up a slumbering Ronald and carried him into the dimly lit bathroom. He turned on the shower, testing the water before pulling the two of them under the warm spray. William put his back against the wall and slowly slid to the shower floor. He cradled the boy in his lap so he could bathe him in the most comfortable manner.

Wary of the water drizzling down, Will gently tilted Ronald's head back to allow the balmy mist to dampen his blonde and black hair. He ran his fingers through the silky strands, pushing away the wet locks sticking to the younger man's face. Will leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his lover's forehead before grabbing the little bottle of shampoo by his thigh, opening the cap with a click. He squirted a bit of the two-in-one shampoo and conditioner into his palm, the pale liquid emanating a fruity aroma—oranges. For some reason, the scent made him smile; it seemed fitting for someone as sunny as Ron.

The older man began to wash Knox's hair with one hand, his other arm wrapped around his waist. As he massaged the boy's scalp, a low, tranquil hum echoed around the shower. The sudden sound caused Will to jump. He looked down at his boyfriend, taking note of the small, sleepy smile stretching across his bright cheeks. The sight caused a tiny grin of his own to split along his face.

Once William was satisfied with his work, he pushed the blond's head back and rinsed away the fruity suds from his hair.

The brunet proceeded to tenderly bathe the younger man, taking great measures to clean away the sick from both of their bodies. He ran the attractive smelling soap along Ronald's arm, pausing at his wrist. His thumb softly caressed the silvery scars. An array of jumbled thoughts flickered through his mind as his thumb continued to run back and forth over the marks. Ronald still hadn't told him why he had cut himself. Will had planned on asking him again, but he held off in hopes that the boy would willingly tell him sooner rather than later. What would drive him to make an attempt on his life?

With that question in mind, William's musings shifted to Knox's dream. He was positive it had been a night terror; he had experienced quite a few, himself. What brought the nightmare about? They had spent the evening in bed together. The only true conversation during that time was about his prior military life. Had his words sparked something in the younger man's mind? He desperately hope that was not the case.

His mind continued to wander until he felt a slight tremor in his arms. It was then that he realized Ronald was shaking—the water had cooled considerably. He hastily rinsed the rest of the soap away before magically maneuvering in such a way as to shut the shower off and not drop the boy in his arms. Will draped two towels over Ronald, hoping that he managed to cover certain parts of himself as well, and ran back to their room, closing the door behind him. He internally applauded himself for his stealth and accomplishing his goal without his glasses.

William laid the still dormant Knox down on the bed and dried him off to the best of his ability.

"It astounds me that you managed to rest through all this activity," Will quietly murmured to himself, patting Ronald's damp hair dry. He knew he shouldn't be surprised; the kid becomes one with the dead where sleep is concerned. Satisfied with the hair's level of dryness, he threw the two towels in a corner. He dug out clothing from Ronald's wardrobe and carefully dressed him before doing the same.

He yawned and climbed into the bed next to the snoring blond, covering the two of them with the soft blanket. Ronald groaned and rolled over. He draped his arm over the brunet's chest and nuzzled his nose against his neck. William wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him close. A soft sound from Ronald caught his attention. William looked down at the boy and saw drowsy eyes staring into his own.

"Will?" Ronald muttered. Before Will could respond, Knox's eyes quickly fluttered shut and he resumed snoring.

William kissed his lover's forehead and rubbed his back. He leaned in as close as he could to his ear. "I love you, Ronald. I have no intentions of going anywhere, nor do I plan on letting you go," he whispered the promise.

Will's cheeks warmed as he felt a smile widen along his skin. A soft kiss was pressed against his neck as the words left his lips.

____________________

**Saturday**

Slivers of gleaming early afternoon light peaked in through the cheap curtains, shining directly into William's field of vision. He groaned as he lifted up his hand to block out the offending assault. The combination of brightness and lack of sleep caused a dull headache to throb in his skull with no indication that it would subside any time soon. He turned his head away from the light and looked at the person sleeping on his shoulder.

William gently lifted up Knox's chin and studied his face. From what he could see through his blurry vision, the blond's eyes were slightly puffy, red, and donned with deep black circles. He expelled a subdued sigh and let go of his chin.

Taking great care as to not wake the boy up, William slid out the bed. He put on his glasses and quickly got dressed to go out—coffee would be essential if he were to survive the day. He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his lover's forehead, Ronald exhaling a soft whimper in response. William went out the door, quietly closing it behind him.

____________________

The law student returned a little while later to a still comatose Ronald. He placed a styrofoam cup of coffee on the kid's messy desk along with a letter he received. Will walked over to his own desk and tried to quietly pull out his chair, but it backfired. The legs slid along the laminate floor with a sound only a banshee could rival. The noise made him wince. Ron groaned as Will sat down.

"I was sleepin' ya know," the blond complained, glowering at his boyfriend through furiously blinking eyes. He sat up and threw his pillow across the room, smacking Will in the face.

"Despite it being 1:30 in the afternoon, I did try to be quiet. I am surprised that the sound actually forced your eyes to open. It is usually much harder to reunite you with the living," William remarked, dryly.

"There are much more fun ways t' wake me," pointed out Ron. He smirked suggestively and winked.

William rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee. "You truly are cheeky." He put down his coffee and grabbed a textbook, opening it to the spot where he bookmarked it.

Ron put on his glasses and got out of bed. He walked over to the brunet and plopped down on his lap, wrapping his arms around his neck.

"Y' know ya like it," he sang in Will's ear. He leaned back and placed a big, sloppy kiss on his lips.

"Hmm..." William looked at Ron and smiled as he ran his hand through the messy blonde hair, "if the previous evening's activities are any indication, then yes I do like it." He replied with a quick kiss.

A faint tension closed in on William as he stared into Ron's dreary husky eyes, his tiny smile turning into a worried frown.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Why?" Ron's smile wobbled.

William was hesitant, but he decided to be honest. "You had a nightmare during the night. It could not have made for a peaceful sleep," he answered with caution.

Whatever feeble grin was on the boy's face swiftly disappeared. A note of panic sparked behind his blue and green eyes. "We all have bad dreams, righ'?" He let out a small, shaky laugh at a pathetic attempt to brush the question away.

"It must have been an unpleasant one. Would you like to talk about it?" Will carefully asked.

"Nah," Ron waved his hand. "I don't remember it," he lied. As William continued to stare at him, he squirmed in his lap knowing full well that the older man knew he was lying. He tried to cover the fib with the mask of a cheerless smile.

"Alright," Will nodded, obviously not convinced. Judging by Knox's facade, whatever he had dreamt about was clearly disturbing. He cleared his throat and changed subjects. "I brought you coffee. It's on your desk along with a letter that came in the mail."

"Coffee!" The boy whooped, the sound lacking in jubilance. "Thanks, boss." He kissed his boyfriend's cheek and hopped off his lap.

Ron walked over to grab his coffee and leaned against the desk, taking a sip of the dark brew as he did so.

"I'm pretty sure I fell asleep naked," he said as he pulled at his shirt. "Thanks for protectin' my honor." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"It was nothing. I merely wished to prevent others from observing sheer beauty," he responded with an effort to relieve the slight tension in the room.

A light pink hue spread along Ronald's nose. "Told ya I was quite th' view," he replied with a small smile.

It wasn't quite what William hoped for, but a smile was a smile nonetheless.

Ronald put down his coffee and picked up the letter. "Well, if you're lucky, I'll give ya another glimpse t'night," he teased, paying no heed to the address at the top left of the corner as he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He grabbed his coffee and took a sip as he began to read. Whatever grin Ron had on his face immediately fell upon reading the first words.

_November 3, 2016_

_To Mr. Ronald Knox,_

_This notice is to inform you that on January 2, 2017, Marie Amanda Knox will be eligible for early parole. The hearing will take place on Tuesday January 31, 2017 at 1pm. Your attendance is requested._

Ron stared at the words on the sheet of paper trembling in his hand. His mouth dropped open and a shriek caught in his throat. His grip on the cup of coffee loosened and it fell to the floor, the hot liquid puddling around his feet.

"Ronald?"

The younger man stared at William through wide, panicked eyes, his mouth agape.

Will got up from his chair and rushed over, stepping into scalding pool of coffee, hissing at its heat. The brunet grabbed a towel and dropped onto his knees to mop the beverage from the floor.

Once the laminate was as clean as possible, Will tossed the wet towel to the side and got up. He put his hands on Ronald's shoulders.

"Ronald, what is the matter?" He asked, shaking Knox's shoulders, trying to get his attention. The blond simply stood there, staring into space. "Look at me," William ordered, snapping his fingers in front of his face. The younger man gasped, rapidly blinking as he refocused on the man standing in front of him. Will let go of his shoulders and took a step back.

"Whoops. Looks like I'm gettin' an 'F' in one of my classes." Another lie. "Bit of a shock. Didn't mean t' scare ya." Ron hastily folded the letter and tucked it in a drawer. He bit his lip and looked away.

A frost filled the room.

William's teeth clicked together. His blue eyes glazed over with ice as he stared at the boy. Knox was lying. Again. Annoyance bubbled through his veins as he wrestled to maintain his aloof demeanor. He pushed up his glasses as he weighed his options—let it go, or drag it out of him? With reluctance, Will chose the former.

"I am sorry to hear you are struggling in class," he said, his voice crisp. He went back to his chair and sat down, returning his gaze at the younger man.

Ron winced at the brunet's tone; the man was angry with him. He looked at Will.

"It's nobody's fault but mine," he muttered, rubbing his neck. They continued to stare at each other. For the first time in a long while, he was unable to read Will's expression. The stoicism on his face frightened Ron. His heart hammered in his chest, wishing the man would say something. After a few moments of silence, he cleared his throat.

"I better get dressed. I forgot I was supposed t' meet Grell." Ron quickly changed his clothes in record time; he needed out of this room.

William lifted an eyebrow. "I see," he responded. Anger replaced annoyance with the thought that the boy would prefer to spend the day with his friend rather than confide in him. His cheeks battled with his senses, threatening to flush and expose how he truly felt.

"Yep. I have a feelin' she'll be a handful today." Ron walked over to Will and kissed his forehead. "I'll be back soon. Unless she kills me somehow." He swiftly walked out the door without glancing back at his boyfriend.

He felt terrible lying to the man he loves and he knew he shouldn't drink, but he desperately needed alcohol.

____________________

The phone in Grell's back pocket vibrated vigorously in his tight jeans. He jumped at the distraction, whimpering as it begged for his attention. Grell snatched it up and looked at the caller ID—it was Ronald.

"I'm sorry, Undie. It's Ronnie. I have to take the call. Will you go entertain our guests?"

"Of course, milady." Undertaker gave the redhead a swift kiss and walked away to join the others.

Grell pressed the green 'answer' icon. "Ronnie?"

"Hey, Grell," he responded, his voice a little off. Loud noises echoed into the phone.

"Is something wrong, darling?" A slight pang of worry washed over him.

"Will ya come pick me up?"

"Of course! Where are you?"

"...at a b-bar," stuttered Ronald.

Grell's teeth gritted together and he let out a furious breath through his nose. "Text me the address."

The phone vibrated when it received the text. He sighed, thankful that his friend was nearby.

____________________

Grell walked into a bar full of college students. He shoved his way through the packed crowd, hastily searching for Ron. After a few minutes, he found him sitting at a table in the far corner. Grell stomped over.

"Ronald Knox, what the hell are you doing?!" Grell yelled over the noise, hands on his hips. The boy looked up at him through glassy eyes, his glasses slightly askew.

"Oh hey, Grell. What are you doing here?" he slightly slurred.

"You called me remember? I'm taking you back to your room." Grell threw money onto the table and grabbed Ron's arm, slinging it over his shoulder and dragged him out of the bar.

"You are not supposed to be drinking! You know this. What were you thinking?" Grell hissed.

"William is goin' to hate me," Ron cried and hiccuped. He stumbled on the sidewalk, but luckily Grell was able to maintain his hold on him.

"What did that man do to you?"

"She's found me," he mumbled through his tears.

"Who found you?"

"I told him tha' I love him but she's goin' t' come here and ruin it!"

"Ronnie, you're not making any sense. Tell me who," asked Grell. The blond fell silent, either refusing or unable to say anything more.

____________________

After what felt like hours, Grell managed to pull a stumbling Ronald up the stairs in the dorm building. The two walked to his room. Grell furiously knocked on the door.

"William T. Spears! Open the door!"

Silence.

"I know you're in there. Open the door," he yelled.

He groaned at the racket Sutcliff was making out in the hall. He wasn't sure why the annoying man would be there since he's supposed to be with Ronald, but Will knew he wouldn't go away until the thorn got what he wanted.

Grell banged on the door with his fist. William whipped it open, almost receiving a punch to the face. He glared at the redhead, ready to tell him to shove off until he realized Ronald was hanging on Grell's shoulder.

"What have you done to him!" Will shouted, his words furious.

Instead of answering the stoic man's question, Grell pushed him out of the way and walked to his friend's side of the room. He laid him on his bed as gently as possible. "Ronnie darling, stay right here." The younger man responded with a groan.

Grell turned to look at the brunet, eerily calm for his flamboyant behavior.

"I knew something bad would happen with you. What did you do to Ronnie? What did you say to make him drink himself into a coma?"

William simply stood there. The look on his face conveyed nothing, but internally, he was beyond confused.

"Willy~, dear," Grell laughed a humorous laugh, one that flowed with acid and slaughter. "Please do say something before I find something sharp to gut you with. Oh, the delight I would feel at seeing your blood plastered against the wall right now."

"I do not know what you are talking about, Sutcliff. He walked out earlier and said he would be spending the day with you," he answered as he pushed up his glasses, ashamed to admit the redhead's attitude and words unnerved him.

"Ronnie hasn't been with me all day. He called me from a bar and asked me to pick him up. On the way here he kept saying that you hate him and that ' _she_ ' is going to ruin it. Who is this ' _she_ '?" Grell snapped.

"I have absolutely no idea why he would think I hate him. I also do not know who this ' _she_ ' could be," he replied, struggling to keep hold on his senses.

Grell rushed over to William and leaned into his face, digging his long red painted fingernail into his chest. A suffocating tension closed in on them.

"You must have done or said something to make him think otherwise," Grell seethed through gritted teeth, his green eyes blazing. "Who is this woman Ronnie thinks will be replacing him?"

William pushed Sutcliff off, forcing him to stumble back. "No! I would never!" Will shouted, his knuckles cracking as his fists clenched. He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out through his nose, readjusting his spectacles. "Leave. Get out before either of us do something we will regret in the future," he snapped, his words shaking with anger.

"You bast—," Grell raised his hand to slap the frigid man but was cut off by the sound coming from behind him. He quickly turned around.

"Stop," groaned Ronald, looking up at the two arguing men.

Grell hurried over to the bed and dropped to his knees. "Ronnie, darling," he said, patting his cheeks. "Tell me what's wrong."

Ron looked at Grell. "She's coming. Mum," he whimpered with broken words.

"His mother?" William asked, confusion in his tone.

"What!" Grell gasped.

"There's a letter in th' drawer," he muttered, pointing at his desk. Grell stood up and walked over. He dug through the desk, pulling out a folded piece of paper.

William walked over and sat on the bed. He placed his hands on his beloved's cold cheeks and turned his face so he could look into his eyes. "Please tell me what is going on, Knox. I cannot do anything if you are unwilling to share it with me," he quietly pleaded as he tenderly rubbed his cheek.

"It's my mother. They're — "

"Considering letting her out," the redhead interrupted, his body trembling with disbelief.

"I do not understand," remarked William, his gaze darting back and forth between the other two.

"Since you're over there, Grell, can ya get a bottle of water out of th' fridge?" Knox requested, cautiously pushing himself up the bed.

"Of course," he murmured as he reached into the fridge to grab the water. He opened the cap and gave him the bottle. "Small sips, darling." The blond thanked him with a smile.

Ronald looked at his boyfriend, then up at his friend. "Grell, Will didn't do anythin'. But...I think it's time we finally talked about somethin'."

"Honey, I'm not sure I should leave you alone with him."

"What are you implying, Sutcliff?" Will's voice was curt. To his annoyance, his question was ignored.

"I'll be fine. I was bein' stupid. He doesn't know anythin' so I need t' tell him...before it's too late." Ron gazed at the older man with forlorn, frightened eyes. It was a look that William didn't appreciate.

"I really don't — "

"Like Ronald said, he will be fine. I will not do anything to him," assured William. He wasn't sure if the crimson haired man would believe him, but his thoughts were irrelevant as far as Will was concerned.

"Fine," the redhead surrendered. He walked over to Ron and embraced him in a tight hug.  
Grell grabbed his chin to ensure their eyes connected. "But you know I'll be back. We had a deal, remember?"

"Yeah...I know," the blond mumbled. "Will ya give me time?"

"Well, I do have to set everything up. But I will be doing it as quickly as possible. When it's time, it's time." Grell leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Call me if you need me, darling."

"I will," Ron promised, smiling softly.

"Alright. Bye, Ronnie." Grell smiled lovingly at his friend. He stood up and went for the door. He glanced over his shoulder at Will. The look in his eyes held a silent threat. Once he was satisfied that Will received his message, he left.

William turned to Ron, their gazes colliding. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Will waited for the blond to speak.

"So..." Ron muttered, the tension in the room sobering him. "I'm sorry, Will. Grell shouldn't have come at ya like tha'. It's my fault for gettin' drunk," he added, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You should know that the red thorn and I will never see eye to eye," he pointed out, "especially in regards to you."

"Yeah you're righ'. I was hopin' tha' you guys would somehow get along. You're both stubborn as hell."

William lifted up an eyebrow at the accusation.

"Alrigh'! Grell is the stubborn one," Ron gave in, laughing lightly. The noise quickly died down and was replaced with another unpleasant atmosphere.

After a few minutes, William cleared his throat, breaking the ear ringing silence. "You lied to me today."

The boy's eyes widened at the announcement, blushing as he glanced away. "Yes, I did," he admitted with a grimace.

"Would you care to tell me why?" Will readjusted his glasses.

Ronald looked up, their gazes reconnected and he stared into Will's blue eyes, nervous to tell the man the truth. He scooted over, patting the mattress in a silent invitation, which William accepted by sitting next to him on the bed.

"I'll tell ya," he sighed. "I lied because I didn't want ya t' hate me or b' ashamed of me."

"I would never feel such a way. Did you not believe me when I said I loved you?" He said, taking the younger man's hand.

"Well...uh...I wasn't sure I heard... " stuttered Ronald.

"There is no need to be coy. We both know that you heard every word. I would never lie to you." He took hold of Ron's chin, redirecting his face to ensure that the boy was looking at him. "As I said earlier: I do love you and I do not plan on letting you go any time soon," he added.

"I believe ya." Ron nodded, a pink flush dusting his cheeks. "I love ya, too."

Will's cheeks burned in response. He cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses. "Now please tell me what is going on."

"A-Alrigh'," he agreed, swallowing thickly. "Well, I did have a nightmare last night and I remember all of it. The letter I got this morning wasn't about any of my classes. It was about my mum."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah...she's in prison," murmured Ron, his voice quieting.

"Oh. I see," Will responded. "M-May I ask what for?"

Ronald's face darkened with scarlet. "My mum sold me."

"What do you mean by 'sold'?" It was unintentional, but his tone was icy.

"For s-sex. My mum sold me in the human trafficking ring she ran."

Every drop of color and blood swiftly drained from William's face.


	10. Chapter 10

The silence was deafening.

For the first time in ages, the stoic mask upon William's face cracked, shattering like delicate glass. He could hear the sound of the pieces fracturing on the hard laminate; it caused a ringing noise to sting his eardrums. Will sat there mouth open, blinking ahead, staring at what he thought was Ronald. To say the confession blindsided him was an understatement.

The blond watched as the older man's agape mouth open and closed, an unusually bewildered expression on his ghostly pale face. He had expected such a reaction, even from someone as aloof as William. What he hadn't anticipated was the brunet dropping his trembling clammy hands as if they had burnt or soiled him, judging by the man's movements; the action made his stomach drop. Ron had hoped otherwise, but the look on the brunet's face confirmed his fears: he was ashamed of him, possibly disgusted.

Losing his composure and sense, William jumped off the bed and moved to the other side of the room. With one hand on his forehead and the other on his hip, he began to pace parallel to his bed. His jaw clenched and his teeth ground together as he walked back and forth. He watched Knox make a move to stand from the bed, but he held out his hand in a 'stay put' gesture. As Will continued to pace, an endless chasm of questions and thoughts ricocheted around his brain. However, he had noticed the pained expression on Ron's face when he dropped his hands—it was an unintentional response. The man stopped moving and turned to the blond, avoiding his gaze.

"I apologize, Ronald. I reacted in a thoughtless manner," Will excused, sitting down on his mattress. He hunched over, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands, loose strands of dark hair fell over his forehead. After a series of deep breaths, William looked up at Ronald, his eyes connecting with ones glistening unshed tears.

Ron sat there silent for a few moments, calming himself so could speak without crying. "I-I guess you have questions and somethings t' say," he surmised, biting his lip in a failed attempt to hold back his sniffling. The brunet nodded.

"I do," he confirmed. Will bowed his head to the floor, his blue eyes darting back and forth in time with the thoughts racing through his mind. Minutes passed before he settled on a question. "Why would your mother put you through such an ordeal?" he asked, slowly looking back up and readjusting his glasses.

"My dad left; I don't know where he is. She blamed me for it and thought I should be th' one t' take care of us," answered Ron. "She wasn't exactly stable," he added.

"Did she have some sort of ailment?"

"Not sure," Ron responded apathetically and shrugged his shoulder, "after everythin' she's done t' me, I really don't care."

"Understandable," Will nodded his head in acknowledgement. He pondered his next question, wondering if he could handle the answer despite his stomach churning. "May I ask... how old were you?"

He was unsure why, but Ron could feel his cheeks warming. "I was about —"

"Wait!" William quickly interrupted him, waving a hand to halt the younger man's words. "I do not want to hear the answer," he explained, instantly regretting having asked the question. The brunet sighed and hung his head towards the floor again, taking no note that his glasses were dangling, barely holding onto his ears. He fell silent.

Ronald sat there on his bed, looking at Will, watching the man's glasses slightly swing. He waited long quiet moments for him to speak again, but to no avail—the silence crept on. Knox listened to the clock in their room tick. The anxiety that amounted as he listened to the time pass by forced his leg to fidget, the jerky movements synchronizing with the ticking sound. His dull nails scratched at the scars on the inside of his wrist, his heart thrummed loudly inside his ears, and the collar of his shirt suddenly felt too tight. It was choking him, he thought, as he tugged at it. Panic threatened to take hold of the rampant anxiety, but he quickly suppressed it by talking. Anything that would help him ease the nerves and tension of the room, regardless of the topic.

"There's really not much t' say about it," Ron started, his voice uneven. The skin at the nape of his neck burned as he nervously rubbed it. "It went on for a few years. I never asked—never wanted t' know—how my mum actually started it or where she got th' idea. One day, she just took me to this room and left me there most of th' time. She started bringin' people around..." His brow furrowed, his blue and green eyes pricking with tears. "There were some women, but like th' first time I was...uh..." the blond swallowed thickly and he flushed furiously with shame, "most of th' people were older guys..."

William, whom was silently listening to Ron recount his past, felt his ears perked up at the mention of 'older guys.' He lifted his gaze to meet the younger man across the dorm room. His features were puzzled, perplexed as to why his mind zeroed in on the phrase. 'Older guys?' He pushed up his glasses. 'Older guys...?' Will stared into Ronald's eyes, his own dizzily oscillating back and forth as the words rang in his ears. Then it hit him and a light gasp escaped his throat: _he was older—nearly ten years._

Knox could see what color remained in William's face drain to oblivion. The man's blue eyes widened and his mouth fell open, a croak emanating from within. Ronald scooted from the wall to rest his feet on the cold laminate floor. "Are ya alrigh', Will?" he asked.

"I am older..." Will muttered, running his hand through his dark hair, haphazardly messing the usually sleek style; he yanked on the locks in his hand. Will looked at Ron, undeniable guilt etched onto his face. "R-Ronald," he stuttered, his stomach dropping, "Do I remind you of them?"

"Wha'?" Ron began, but was hastily interrupted as William started to ramble.

"Perhaps we engaged in intimate activities too soon," he slowly spoke as his thoughts ran in various directions, jumping to multiple conclusions. "Have I ever hurt you?" he rushed out. Will had gotten rough with him a few times resulting in Ron being sore the next day, but the boy had said nothing about it. Worry gnawed at his gut, or was it fear? "Did we ever do anything you preferred not to..." He didn't get the chance to finished his question, for Ron stomped over and slapped him across the face knocking his glasses to the side. They both looked at each other, mouths open in shock. Without a word, the blond sulked over to the window and slumped down on the sill, one leg dangling on the floor.

Ronald leaned his heated face against the cool window pane, his bulky frames tilting askew. He closed his watery husky eyes and breathed deeply to soothe his nerves, puffs of air fogging the glass next to his mouth. He opened his eyes and watched the window mist with each sigh. Pressing an index finger to the glass, he began to draw figures on the leftover residue—the glass squeaking underneath the tip of his finger with each stroke.

"I'm sorry," Ron apologized, his voice exhausted and saddened. "I don't know why I did tha'..." The conversation had barely started and already, he wished for it to end. Still, the man deserved to know the truth.

"No. I am the one who should apologize. I am aware that this is not about me, but I am merely worried that I caused you pain or exhumed distressful thoughts. I do not want to harm you in any way."

Against the window, Ron turned and pressed his back to the cold glass, both feet on the floor. Without hesitation, he held a steady gaze and peered directly into the older man's blue eyes and saw a flicker of pity. The look, alone, annoyed him. "Before we keep goin', I want ya t' listen t' me, Will. I will say this once and I want ya t' understand me: you've done nothin' to hurt me or make me feel uncomfortable. You've always asked, waited for me t' say 'yes,' and gave me wha' I wanted. Even if I wanted somethin' and we were out in public for th' world t' see." He shamelessly pointed out in hopes of driving the message home.

William coughed, his ears turning a deep red. He pushed up his glasses. "Yes, I am aware, but—"

"No buts," Ron firmly retorted, shaking his head, his blonde hair falling in front of his eyes. He pushed it back and clicked his tongue. "Believe and trust me when I say I know what I want. I'm usually th' one all over ya and tryin' to take your clothes off anyways, righ'?" He waited for Will to nod his head. "Don't be like Grell or any of th' others who think I have no idea what I'm talkin' about." Feeling the chill of the window seeping into his shirt, he moved back to his bed and plopped down, the springs creaking as he did so. He let out a slow, ragged sigh.

"Why would Sutcliff doubt you?" asked Will.

"She's actually th' one who found me. I was in a room and a guy was r-ra...um," Ron paused, annoyed that despite the years having gone by, he still couldn't say the word. "She got me out. Police were called and I was taken t' a hospital. I stayed there for a bit. I saw a therapist. For a few years, I was in and out of rehab..."

"Go on," Will urged.

"I started partyin' and drinkin' a lot. I put myself in th' hospital at one point. I was sent back t' rehab and therapy."

"I see," William softly replied. He sat there studying a now silent Ronald, watching as the blond started to fidget once more—his fingers twisting around his wrist. The skin had started to turn pink from the repeated friction. With his eyes still focused on younger man's wrist, William cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses. "Are you willing to share with me why you cut yourself?"

Ronald looked down at his arm and saw the flesh had turned a bright red color, his scars a pale pink—he had rubbed his skin raw. He pushed his sleeve up to his elbow, slightly hissing as the cool air kissed the agitated wounds. There were two scars on his wrist: one clean, the other jagged. They were less than an inch apart from each other, both drawn down the expanse of his vein. He drew in a long deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and let out a heavy sigh.

"I was fine for a while after my mum went to prison. I was goin' to therapy and takin' the medication they put me on for anxiety. Grell made sure I took care of myself. If there was somethin' I couldn't do, then she'd be there with me t' either help or do it herself." Ronald looked out the window, all the while still running his finger along his scars. "I hid it from Grell, but my mum started writin' me letters. At first, they were th' 'I miss you, I love you,' sort. I never answered them. So after a while, th' letters became threatenin', promisin' things tha'll happen when she got out. My mum never actually said anythin' outright, but when you're afraid of someone, ya know when they're saying one thing, but mean another... I'm a 24 year old man who's still afraid of his mum and she knows it." He paused to take a steadying breath. "That's when th' partyin' and drinkin' started. I nearly drank myself t' death so Grell sent me to rehab. It was rough and I was mad at her for it, but I needed help," he admitted before trailing off.

William sat there, listening intently as Ronald spoke. Silence fell between them yet again, the blond looking out the window and Will waiting for him to continue. "Ronald?" He piped up after a few minutes. Ronald jumped at hearing his voice.

"Yeah?" he muttered, his attention leaving the window and swiveling to the brunet.

"You were speaking about rehab," prompted William.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry." Ronald rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't hear anythin' from my mum once I left rehab for a few months. Things felt peaceful for a while. I was living with Grell, tryin' to begin whatever normal life I could have at tha' point. She had taken off work so she could be with me. When she had t' go back, she bought me a phone as a 'present.' We both know she wanted t' check up on me when she wasn't at home—which was fine." He ran his hand through his blonde hair, slightly tugging the black locks at the nape of his neck.

"One day, I was by myself in the kitchen, attempting to make food. My phone rang and I answered it, not lookin' to see who it was since only Grell called me. Turns out, it was the prison askin' if I would accept a phone call: my mum. I had no idea how she got my number. I panicked and had a meltdown. Next thing I know, I'm on the floor and Grell's there yellin'. Blood was everywhere. I guess I wasn't doin' as great as we all had thought. That, or I'm not a very good cook." Ronald laughed humorlessly. He slid off of the bed and began to pace back and forth, shoes squeaking on the floor. He took a deep breath in a failed attempt to calm himself; he felt himself snap, a floodgate of emotions burst open as he thought about his mother, the multitude of faces he saw for years, and Finnian. He frowned.

"Ya know, I actually thought it was all over after she was sent t' prison. I was finally free of her and everyone who abused and tortured me for years and years. All it took were a few letters and a phone call to put me in a hole," said the blond, his tone sarcastic and incredulous. He shook his head and breathlessly laughed again. The sound was strained and slightly hysterical; it made William shift uncomfortably on his bed. Knox stopped walking and put both hands on top of his head.

"I drowned myself in alcohol and tried t' kill myself twice." Ronald let his arms flop to his sides and resumed pacing. "It turned into a cycle: a letter or a phone call, then alcohol or something sharp, then a trip t' a hospital or rehab. Again and again," he added, his hands and arms moving animatedly.

"Every time I felt like I was finally happy, my mum'd contact me. It's like she knew and needed to make sure I stayed the way she left me: destroyed. All I wanted was for it to be over. I still want it to be over. She's goin' to haunt me for as long as I live. I keep tryin' to get away, leave it all behind, forget it all," Ron choked out, his voice cracking. "I'm tired of thinkin' and dreamin' about being locked in a room for hours with people who did whatever they wanted t' do t' me, no matter how much it hurt or how much I cried or how many times I begged them t' stop."

William, at a loss for words, made a move to stand up to approach the young man, but abruptly sat down as he saw Knox's facial expression and body language change. The blond stopped walking and looked at him, anger burning behind his blue and green eyes.

"D-Do y' know what it's like?" Ron hissed, his heart furiously pounding as he saw red. The hatred flowing through him caused him to shiver as goosebumps appeared on his skin, the hair on his arms erect. "To lay there and have everythin' taken from you? For someone to rip your body from th' inside out, their hand wrapped around your throat, and laughed while they destroyed you? For your mum to let these people treat ya like you're nothin'? To be b-broken, to get used to strangers havin' their way with you everyday?" he asked, lifting his arms into the air, his voice escalating as he yelled through gritted teeth at the brunet, getting lost in his fury.

Suddenly, Ronald rushed at Will, shoving his finger into the man's chest. "What kind of mother sells her son?" the blond seethed, his senses clouded with emotion as he dug his finger into the older man; William slightly winced at the pain, but otherwise remained still, listening to the boy rant. "What kind of mother were you? Listenin' to me scream while ya sat there countin' money." The change in wording caught William off guard, but he quickly realized Ronald was no longer talking to him. "How could ya torture me like that? You just let them r-rape me over and over and over! You destroyed me."

William firmly pressed the palms of his hands on either side of Ronald's face as the boy continued to scream at him. He patted flushed, tear stained cheeks. "Ronald."

"But I found a way t' be happy. And now you want t' take it away again! Why can you just leave me alone?" he shrieked.

Hands still on either side of the blond's head, William shook him, attempting to regain his attention. "Ronald, look at me," he ordered, shaking him again. He slapped the boy's cheek. William stared into Ron's eyes, watching the fog within them clear.

"W-wh..." Ronald sucked in a sharp, shuttering gasp, his husky tear-filled eyes widening, his heart pounding.


	11. Chapter 11

**One week later, Saturday evening**

**William**

He sat there on his tidy bed, his feet dangling over the edge of the mattress. His handsome and angular features were slack, his pallor pale; his neatly styled hair an unacceptably disheveled mess. He managed to maintain his emotionless and stoic demeanor, but even a complete stranger could tell the facade was a lie. Try as he might, the man was unable to prevent his icy blue eyes from revealing the unfamiliar ache in his chest.

Eight days have passed since Ronald had told him about his mother, about the little boy Finnian, the things terrible things he experienced, things that would most likely give him nightmares for weeks.

And the deal he had made with the doctors and Sutcliff...

The blond asked if he was ashamed of him. William did his best to convince him that he was not, nor would he ever be, ashamed. However, he knew he would most likely be wary of Grell from now on; a part of him wondered how Ronald managed to harbor no resentment for the redhead.

William's stomach had been in knots and his, albeit hidden, emotions were an absolute mess as he watched Knox pack the belongings he was allowed to take with him. The brunet considered begging Knox not to go, but that would have been selfish of him. Instead, he settled on asking whether or not the boy would be returning after he was released; he would as long as Will wanted him to. William silently thought it was silly for the blond to question such a thing. Of course William wanted Knox to come back. He was the one who originally declared that he hoped the boy would stay with him, after all.

Ronald made numerous attempts to lighten his mood and reassure him it would be fine, that he would be back to bother him before either of them knew he was gone. The little troublemaker even went as far to inform him of the things they would do once he was in his arms again.

What efforts he made to change Will's mood around offered little solace.

Inwardly, the older man felt pathetic. He was unsure of how to sort through his own emotions despite his will to avoid them. William has never been attached—let alone fallen in love—to someone before. He always maintained inhibitions and reservations, refusing anyone the privilege to gain access. It was his preferred method to preserve his way of life until a certain someone broke through his steel walls. Now that the walls had been infiltrated and his cool demeanor was in an upset, what was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to feel? The unknown possibilities of depending another person were terrifying, even more when it left him in a bout of doubt and questions of his own wellbeing. One thing was for sure: Will knew as soon as Ron kissed him the very first time, he would be miserable and lonely without him from the on, regardless of the endless schoolwork to keep him company.

So there he sat, wallowing in his thoughts as he stared at the empty, unkempt bed across the room. He turned his attention to the window to see the sun setting. He looked down at his watch to check the time, heaving out a long sigh. It had been hours since Ronald asked him what 'birdeto' meant before he walked out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

**Week 1**

Ronald placed his hand on the smooth silver doorknob, the cold emanating from it reminding him of the solemn weeks ahead. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside his temporary room of the addiction and sexual assault recovery center.

"Welcome home, Ronald," he muttered to himself, his tone remorseful as he looked around his living quarters—the place was familiar, yet different. In a way, the blond truly felt like he was at home; he spent years in and out of this place.

The last time he returned to the center had been about a year or so ago, when his mother had telephoned him from prison. That call sparked his second attempt on his life. If Grell hadn't found him on the kitchen floor, he surely would have died then and there. Ronald promised Grell he would never do such a thing again—and he hasn't since that day. However, the ever present need to escape and forget loomed over him. He turned to alcohol, which led to poisonings and repeated visits to hospitals, and finally to a recovery center. So there he stood, once again in the place where he spent the rest of his teen and early twenties. He shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it, now.

Sighing, Ronald stepped over the threshold onto the deep brown, surprisingly plush, carpet. He dragged his green duffle bag full of clothing and necessities over to the twin bed against the left wall, and threw it onto the mattress. The young man sat down on the bed, his knees on his elbows, and his chin cupped in his upturned palms.

His husky eyes scanned the room. The walls were a dark cream color. It tone reminded Ron of coffee that had too much creamer mixed into it. There were no pictures or mirrors on the walls. However, there were paintings; they looked as if they had been permanently attached to their location and not even a crowbar could pry them away. Regardless, in the blond's opinion, they were seriously ugly paintings. Across from his bed was a dresser made of dark wood. A desk and chair were nestled into the corner by the door. To his left was a giant window adorned with deep green curtains that were pulled back. He could see tall, leafless trees. Despite the lack of greenery outside, his room gave him the overall impression that its decor was reminiscent of a forest. On the bright side, there was nothing red in the room.

Deciding it was time to unpack, Ronald stood up and opened his duffle laying on the multicolored, patterned quilt on the bed. He reached in for a tiny bag and dumped out the acceptable toiletries—he had to leave his cologne and mouthwash behind. Knox considered just turning the bag over and dumping out his clothes, but Grell would've slapped him; the redhead folded his clothes while he packed. Not wanting to be disrespectful of his friend, he took his time and put his clothing in neat piles along the bed spread.

The young man turned his duffle over and haphazardly shook it to make sure he was empty—something fell out: another small bag. A little confused expression masked over his face. Ronald didn't remember packing anything else. He left his phone and charger at the center's office, so that obviously wasn't it. Had Grell stuffed something in it? The blond unzipped the little blue knapsack and peaked inside. There were a multitude of bars, each individually packaged in orange wrapping. His confusion was quickly replaced with a wide smile accompanied by a bright pink hue dusting his cheeks. Ronald bit his bottom lip, grinning like an excited child as he opened one.

"Knock, knock," a voice from behind him called as they tapped on the wooden door. Ronald turned around to see a familiar face.

"Hey, Dr. Othello," Ron replied, greeting him with a small wave.

A lean man wearing a pair of round glasses about Knox's height strolled into the room. He had brown eyes and dark shaggy hair; wearing a long doctor's white coat, black trousers, and a loose tie—just how Ronald remembered him...except today, Othello was walking around in strange footwear.

Ronald lifted an eyebrow. "Pink slippers?"

Othello walked over to the desk and casually leaned against it. "I lost a bet," he explained, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulder.

The blond stood there rubbing the back of his neck, desperately trying not to laugh. "Well...they're nice. Pink is a good color on ya."

"You think so?" the doctor inquired, looking at his feet.

Ronald considered letting out his pent-up laugh until he realized Othello wasn't joking. "Yep!"

The doctor took a step closer to him and lifted his hand for a high-five. "Alright! Thanks, man," he whooped, smiling cheerfully when the young man reciprocated the hand gesture.

"Anyway," said Othello, taking on a serious note. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the desk. "I would say I missed you, but I told you I never wanted to see you again."

"I slipped up."

"I don't want you going to bed on a lower note, so we'll be talking about that sometime this week, yeah?"

Knox nodded his head in agreement.

"Alright, man. I'll let you finish getting settled in." Othello held up his hand again for the high-five. Once Ronald slapped his hand, the doctor walked to the door. Suddenly he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh yeah, I hear you have a boyfriend now."

"What!" exclaimed Ronald, dropping the bag full of treats. He entire face flamed. "Where th' hell did ya hear that?"

Othello raised his eyebrows as the blond slapped his hand against his forehead. "Grell," they voiced in chorus.

Knox's cheeks darkened. "I swear t' God, I'm goin' to kill her one day," he declared. Dr. Othello laughed.

"No big deal. I'm happy for you," he offered the embarrassed boy. The smile gracing his face widened. "Knoxie's got a boyfriend," he sang, wagging his fingers in an animated dance.

"Don't ya have doctoring t' do somewhere!" Ron bent down to pick up the scattered candy bars, desperate to hide his blush. Othello looked down at the carpeted floor and his eyes shined with excitement.

"Ooh! Gimme, gimme!" he demanded. Ronald looked up at him with an annoyed scowl.

"If I give ya one, will ya go away?" The doctor nodded and whooped when Knox threw him the candy.

"Thanks, man. I'll be seeing you soon," Othello stated, throwing a backwards wave over his shoulder. Ronald glowered at the man's retreating form; Othello was whistling the tune he was just singing as he walked around the corner. The doctor may be one of the two people in this place he was most comfortable with, but he's always wanted to deck the guy at least once.

______________________________

The offensive, harmful-to-one's-life noise of the alarm clock blared in Ronald's ear. He groaned painfully as he turned his stiff neck to look at the device that would be torturing him for days to come. The blond turned off the alarm and pulled the clock closer to his face, squinting at the numbers on the screen—it was 9:30am. _9:30am_! Knox let out a disgruntled huff, the force of the air blowing the fringe of blonde out of his face. He regretfully sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

It was unfortunate. He had no choice but to drag himself out of bed, no matter his crabbiness.

______________________________

Hours later, Ronald sat on the wide windowsill in the office of Dr. Alan Humphries, waiting for the man to arrive. He had opted out of group therapy for the day; he preferred to speak about things privately before participating with others.

The young man leaned against the window, watching dead leaves tumble in the wind. He huffed on the glass creating a visible fog; the temptation to draw on it was far too strong. After several stick figures fought in a battle of death, finally coming to one victor, a man with oval shaped spectacles walked into the homey office, closing the door behind him.

"Hi, Ronald," Alan greeted the blond with a bright, kind smile as he walked over to the window. He held out his hand for Knox to shake.

"Hey, Dr. Humphries," replied Ronald, shaking the doctor's hand. He watched as Alan made his way to his desk and sat down on his black leather chair.

Alan leaned against the mahogany desk and placed his right elbow on it, and settled his chin on his upturned palm. In front of him was a notebook full of blank pieces of paper. He picked up a pen and twiddled it between his fingers.

"How are you doing?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

Ronald rubbed the back of his neck, a slight grimace on his face. "I've been better."

"Mr. Sutcliff told me what brought you here."

"I got a letter about my mum possibly gettin' early parole," the young man sighed, "I went and got a bit drunk that day." Ron lifted his legs onto the windowsill and crossed them. He looked at his fingers twisting together. "I don't want to talk about her yet."

Humphries tapped the pen against his lips. "We can talk about anything you'd like, but we'll need to talk about her eventually, right?" His brown eyes followed the motion of the young man nodding his head. "Let's start with some positives. How's college going for you? Still majoring in child psychology?"

"It's pretty good. I'm doin' well in my classes. I have a 3.5GPA. I thought I'd have a hard time, but I'm keepin' up," he replied, twiddling his thumbs. "Next semester, I'll be startin' my minor: vertebrate physiology biology"

"Wow," whistled Alan.

"I can't wait t' get to neurobiology," Knox said, his eyes lighting up. "Did ya know ya have a protein in the brain called 'Sonic HedgeHog'?"

Dr. Humphries smiled at the look on the blond's face. "What does it do?"

"It helps with things like embryonic limb development. Th' brain has the coolest names. I'm really lookin' forward to it."

"That's awesome. I know you'll do well," assured Humphries, receiving a bright smile in return.

A few moments of silence settled between them. Alan tapped his pen against his notebook while Ronald stared out the window.

"So..."

Knox turned his attention to the man behind the desk, his eyes narrowed due to the suspicious tone in the doctor's voice. "So?" Ron raised his eyebrows in question.

Once again twiddling the pen between his fingers, Alan nonchalantly shrugged his shoulder. "I heard through the grapevine—"

"—Dr. Othello." The blond quickly rolled his husky eyes.

The man's lip softly twitched in amusement at the interruption. "That you have someone special in your life."

With that statement, Ron's cheeks dusted a cherry red. "Yeah...he's my roommate," he answered.

"Oh really?" Alan asked. He dropped the pen next to the notebook, and threaded his fingers together, resting his chin on the back of the intertwined digits. "Tell me about him."

"His name is William," informed the blond.

"Very handsome name."

Ron could feel his cheeks darkening. _Yes he is_ , he thought to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"He's studyin to b' a lawyer. Before grad school he was in th' military. He doesn't talk about it much, though."

"Does him not talking about it bother you?"

"Nah," he responded, waving the question away. "He's already told me a bit. If he ever wants t' share more, he can."

"Hmm...what else?"

"Will and Grell hate each other. I think they only put up with one another for me."

"Why does Grell hate him?"

Ron pursed his lips. "She thinks he's bad for me. Will's older than me—33, so in her mind, tha's a problem. He's also not th' most verbally and emotionally expressive person. Most of th' time, he prefers privacy. He's more of a 'actions speak louder than words' kinda guy. Basically th' complete opposite of Grell."

"I can understand why they clash, then."

"Yup," agreed Ron, emphasizing the 'p' with a pop. "Will's great t' me and he deals with Grell th' best he can." He let out a little laugh as he clasped his hands behind his head. "He's a little weird sometimes," he smiled.

"What does he do?"

"Hmm..." the blond hummed as he bit his bottom lip in thought. "Oh!" he explained, reaching into the pocket of his black hoodie. He pulled out a piece of candy wrapped in orange plastic: a _Reese's NutRageous_ bar. He tossed it to Alan.

"Before I moved into th' room, I bought a whole bunch of 'em. They're kind of hard t' get ahold of. Usually I find 'em at gas stations. So, I built up a stash and took them with me." Ron pulled out another treat and ripped it open, taking a bite. He looked at Alan and motioned at the candy in his hand, silently telling the doctor that that bar was his. Humphries thanked him with a smile.

"One day, I ran out. I talked Will's ear off about how much I love 'em, how I can't live without 'em, my life is over. I'm pretty sure he wanted throw me out th' window. After days of moping about, I found one in my book bag. I freaked out, told him how happy I was t' have one last bar before I dramatically died." He paused to take another bite of the peanut buttery chocolate, carefully chewing it before swallowing. "Wanna know wha' he did?"

"Go on," urged Alan.

"He gave me a lecture on th' importance of dental hygiene! He told me it's probably a good thing I ran out because I have too much energy as it is," he replied, struggling to hold back his laugh. Humphries shook his head in amusement, his smile wide.

"Eventually I found another one. Then another one...it took me a while t' figure it out, but Will was th' one stashin' the candy in my bag, desk drawers, wherever. I asked 'im about it, but he said he has no idea wha' I'm talking about. When I unpacked, there were a whole bunch in a little bag. Th' top drawer in my room is full of them," he paused in thought, "Don't tell Dr. Othello. He'll hunt me down."

"Haha, alright. Your secret it safe with me," promised Alan, opening the candy wrapper. "Tell me something else," he added.

"I don't think he realizes it, but he'll play with my hair." Knox waited for Dr. Humphries to comment, but his took the silence as his cue to continue. "Will was sittin' in his bed studying one day. I hopped in, plopped down, and laid my head in his lap. I asked him to read th' textbook he had to me. He said I'd find it boring and would most likely go to sleep. I insisted and he eventually gave in. So I'm layin' there listening and he starts to play with my hair."

"You went to sleep," accused Alan.

"Out like a light!" His grin sparkled. "I don't know how long I was knocked out for, but when I woke up he was still reading to me, tryin' not to laugh." Alan burst into a fit of giggles. "Not my fault it makes me sleepy!" the blond mutter, swiftly coming to his own defense.

The two quickly got lost in their conversation: Ronald telling tales about William, and Alan intently listening to the blond's adventures.

"Hmm..." hummed Ron, still on a roll about William. "He'll play with my hair after we're d-done in b-bed," his words trailed off into a stutter, his eyes widening and face flaming once he realized what he blurted out. _Oh no_. He slapped his hands over his eyes like a little schoolboy.

"So you're intimate?" inquired the doctor.

"Yeah..." the blond was sure his skin was burnt a scarlet red and peeling. He met Alan's eyes and rubbed the back of his neck in a bashful gesture.

"How is it?"

Ronald squired against the throw pillows in an awkward manner. "Well, uh...ya know...it's nice," he answered. "I'm surprised I haven't kill 'im yet. Accordin' to him," he held up two fingers on both hands in imitation of air quotes, "I have a 'surprising amount of vigor'."

"Do you like it?"

Pulling his legs to his chest, he wrapped his arms around them and rested his chin on his knees. "I thought I would never like it with anyone ever—but I do with Will. A lot. Sometimes he has t' peel me off of him."

"I'm happy to hear that you've found someone to enjoy intimacy with. Do you mind sharing how you feel about having sex?"

"It's different," he explained lamely with a lack of anything better to describe it. "At first, it was like we couldn't keep our hands off each other—it still is—and we usually go at it like crazy. But it changed a bit."

Alan cocked his head to the side, and waved a hand, urging the young man to continue.

"One day, Will was takin' his time moving. I'm pretty impatient when it comes to him, and I was close t' pitchin' a fit. He looked at me and started t' play with my hair, tucking some behind my ear. Then he kissed me; it was different than all th' other times. He pulled me as close as he could in th' position we were in, and he started to move. It was slow the whole time and felt desperate—but in a good way. I'm not sure how t' completely describe it. My heart was pounding and it felt like my skin was on fire; it was overwhelming. It's been like that ever since."

"You felt like you were making love, perhaps?"

If Ronald wasn't red before, he sure was now. He clapped his hands over his face.

"Now I feel like I'm in a Nicholas Sparks novel or one of those romance books with a shirtless guy on th' cover!" he groaned, the words muffled by his palms.

"There's no need to be embarrassed," assured Alan with a small smile of encouragement.

"Yeah. Yeah. Easy for you to say," Knox muttered under his breath. Judging by the stink eye Dr. Humphries was pointing his way, he heard him.

"Do you have any fears or worries?" the doctor asked, his voice taking on a serious tone.

"No, I don't think so. I can tell th' difference between 'im and the others," answered Ronald, rubbing the back of his neck. "Like...sometimes we'll get a bit rough and if I'm sore after, he'll hold off for a week until I feel better."

"We found other ways to please each other during that time. He did offer uh... " Ron looked down at his lap and blushed. "But I turned it down. Told 'im I wasn't interested. He said okay and hasn't asked since. He wasn't mad or anything, either."

"How did his response make you feel?"

"Respected...relieved. I basically said no and someone listened. My 'no' finally meant 'no'," said Knox. His eyes widened a bit at the slight implication of his answer. "I know Will would never force 'imself on me or try t' trick me. I just meant in general."

"I understood what you meant, Ron." Humphries cocked his head to the side. "But judging by the look on your face, you are worried about something."

The blond slowly nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I feel confused and I don't understand why. I've felt this way for years. Somehow I'm okay with give' Will oral—I like doin' it, but I'm worried tha' if I let him do it t' me, I'll end up bein' even more confused and I don't want tha' to happen," he explained, shifting uncomfortably against the window.

"To be honest, I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Exactly what is confusing you?"

"Well..." Ron nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "It has to do with Grell."

"Mr. Sutcliff?"

Flushing deeply with shame, Ronald swallowed thickly before forcing the words out. "Grell's dad was the first one to rape me."


	13. Chapter 13

William sat on the wooden chair of his desk, staring absentmindedly at the white papers elegantly graffitied with black ink and yellow highlighter spread out before him. His strained and tired blue eyes flickered over to the large textbook to the left of his notes. He flipped the glossy page, wholly aware that he's read the same paragraph multiple times, but similar to his previous attempts, he was unable to process and absorb any of the information; he had been revisiting _Roe v. Wade_ in light of the possible infringement upon a particular part of society in the upcoming years. Will let out a frustrated sigh and used the pen in his right hand to push up his glasses.

As the hours slowly passed by, the brunet's agitation grew as it became increasingly more difficult to concentrate on his work. He found himself fidgeting and riddled with unconscious tics—which annoyed him to greater heights. The noise of a pen tapping on the desk reached his ears; it was ridiculously loud. William paused. No, he thought to himself, the room was unnervingly quiet.

The reason behind the silence made his habitually expressionless semblance harden; his pale blue eyes were somber. He placed his elbows on his desk, crinkling the sheets underneath them as he rubbed his temples. He let out a dejected huff, the breath pushing the pen and highlighter off the papers. If he was incapable of focusing on his studies at the moment, he was undoubtedly wasting his efforts, as well as his time. He would achieve nothing by forcing himself to work under a heavily preoccupied mind. Perhaps a shower would help ease his troubles.

He closed his book and was in the process of collecting his notes and study materials into neat, organized piles when a knock sounded at his door. William ignored it, reasoning that whoever was on the other side would leave—hopefully sooner rather than later. He placed his book on the desk's top shelf and put his writing utensils in the drawer. The person out in the hallway knocked again, this time much more forcibly than before. He looked over his shoulder as the noise continued, contemplating as to whether or not he should ask the individual to call another time.

"William~!" Grell Sutcliff tapped on the door. "It's me~!

The law student visibly cringed. What in the heavens was that man doing here? William could think of no reason as to why Sutcliff would visit him at all. It was highly improbable, but perhaps if he continued to ignore his presence, he would leave and never return.

"Willy! I know you're in there! The light is on," the redhead's falsetto voice shouted with more volume than necessary as his knuckles rattled against the wood.

Spears cursed under his breath. Overflowing with merciless regret, William stood up from his chair, and padded over to the door, reluctantly opening it to find the grinning perpetual thorn in his side. "Good evening, Sutcliff. May I ask why you are intruding at such an hour?" asked the taller man politely, his voice monotone.

Without word or greeting, Grell pushed his way through the entrance. It was a discourteous action that Will found incredibly rude and a minute scowl knitted his brow, his right eye twitching with irritation. William sighed and closed the door.

The crimson-haired man strolled over to Ronald's open closet, his red and black heels clicking against the shiny laminate floor. He tossed his purse onto the boy's bed. "I'm here to collect Ronnie's dirty laundry," he announced with a sidelong glance over his shoulder. He pulled out the empty basket hidden deep within the wardrobe and began digging out the endless pile of clothing haphazardly shoved in and around the storage space. William's limited imagination swiftly entertained the imagery of an avalanche of garments burying Sutcliff in a bottomless heap, never to be discovered again. The corner of his mouth subtly twitched with amusement.

"Such a messy boy," remarked Grell. His statement was followed by a distinct click of his tongue.

The redhead was right, though. Ronald was a disorganized individual and his laundry desperately craved attention. To Will's dismay, the quantity of said collection meant that the flamboyant man would be there for quite some time. Accompanied by that horrification, he went to his neatly made bed and quietly sat down on its edge.

"I must take Ronnie shopping. All this black truly is depressing. He is too gorgeous to be wearing such a dreadful color," commented Grell in an effort to make small talk with the ever-stoic William T. Spears. He was leaning inside the closet as he spoke, causing his words to sound hollow and muffled.

It was severely against his mannerisms, but the brunet felt no need to respond to the idle chit chat. He looked at the watch wrapped around his left wrist—it was 9:00pm. He had been looking forward to taking a shower, but Grell's intrusion delayed his plan. "Will you be finished soon?" he asked in an impatient tone.

Completely ignoring the older man's question, Grell finished loading up the basket with various dark colored garments. He straightened up and turned around to face Knox's bed. Placing his hands on his hips, he took in its sorry state. The blanket and sheets were twisted and crinkled as if he took a giant handheld mixer and shoved it into the fabric, allowing it to twist and turn the prongs however they wished. The pillows were scattered, some half-covered by their cases. Grell tapped his toes and tsked. "I taught him much better than this!"

William watched Sutcliff saunter over to the blond's mattress, whom began picking up various parts of the bedding. Before he could reconsider his actions, he jerked upward a few inches with an outstretched hand. "Wait—" he blurted. He felt his ivory cheeks instantly heat with the palest of pinks, and he sat down. A bent over Grell glanced over his red-framed glasses at the blushing man; their eyes connected.

The corner of the redhead's lips twitched into a knowing, yet sad, lopsided smile. He sat down on the rumpled bed. "It's alright to miss him, darling."

Mortified that he relayed his thoughts to the man sitting across the room, the pink on William's cheeks deepened into a cherry red. He pushed up his glasses and blinked rapidly, hoping to clear away the emotion from his eyes. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I am well aware."

Grell stretched toward the bottom of the bed and snatched up his couture purse. He reached inside and dug out an emery board and a small bottle of nail polish, placing both items on his lap. "I haven't spoken to him yet, but I should hear from him soon." Grell picked up the board and began manicuring his nails. "And do not get any funny ideas in that thick, stubborn head of yours, Willy," he ordered, wagging the file at him. "As much as it breaks my heart, I know Ronnie would rather talk to you." He would never confess it aloud, but it truly did sting.

Once the shorter man was finished filing both hands, he threw the emery board back into his bag. He picked up the bottle full of a seductive shade of red and uncapped it. He crossed his legs and placed one hand on his thigh, and began painting each nail. The powerful scent of the polish assaulted William's nose and it instinctively crinkled.

"Is there anything you'd like me to tell Ronnie?" asked Sutcliff without looking up. He waited patiently for the stoic man to answer, occupying the seconds with his manicure. After minutes of silence, bitterness set in. "I see," he muttered. "Well dear, if anything pops up, let me know. Like I said: since I'm considered family, I'll hear from him soon." Grell's words held a note of finality, but he made no motion to leave.

William's mouth cemented in a firm line. "Family"? For a few moments, he silently mulled over the last conversation he had had with the blond. As snippets of what he was told in regards to Grell came to mind, a slight frown graced his face.

"How exactly are you acquainted with Ronald?"

Sutcliff looked up at the taller man. He curled his fingers and blew on his nails, cutting down the time in which they took to dry. "My Ronnie told you about Gregory," he surmised.

The brunet nodded his head. "Apart from his mother, he spoke briefly of him."

"Then you know he was my father?" He received another nod in response. "Did he tell you that Gregory was also his pediatrician?"

A feeling of disgust overwhelmed William. His pediatrician? "He did not mention that detail."

Grell averted his gaze and continued to blow on his nails. "That horrible man was the reason I met Ronnie. I was eighteen, he was eleven." He inspected his manicured hand. Once it was deemed satisfactory, he moved onto the other. "Gregory took me to Ronnie because he needed a tutor. I was told that he was too sick to attend school but he needed lessons. It was an opportunity to get away from my father, so I jumped on it," he explained as he finished up his pinky finger.

Taking great care, he twisted shut the nail polish bottle and threw it into his purse. "Gregory and I had the farthest thing from a healthy father-daughter relationship."

The redhead glanced at William, his stare unwavering as he looked intently into his blue eyes. "Do you know anything about conversion camps, Willy?" he asked, his tone unusually serious.

William paled. He looked away and shifted uncomfortably on his bed. As much as the crimson-haired man grated on his nerves, he would never wish such an experience on him. "I do."

"Then you know when you're a lady such as I am, it's hard to find acceptance. I was friendless in school, I was subjected to abuse and threats from a wretched man who claimed to be a righteous and devote Christian. I was given a chance to get away from Gregory, and I took it without question." Grell paused to blow on his nails, using the moment to collect his thoughts.

The redhead put his hand down and took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled it through his nose. "I tutored Ronnie for almost five years. We grew extremely close during that time. Some might not approve due to the age difference, but he became my best friend." A faint, sad smile flitted across his cheeks.

The older man's head swiftly snapped up, the speed of his action causing his dark tendrils to fall from their combed to perfection state, leaving them to hang in front of his blue eyes. He peered at Sutcliff. "You homeschooled Ronald for five years, yet noticed nothing was wrong?" he accused, his tone tainted with veiled anger. He pushed up his glasses as he suppressed the pink hue that threatened to dust his cheeks.

"Ronnie can be an excellent actor when he thinks it's necessary." Grell squinted at William. He pulled his hair over his shoulder and began braiding it as he spoke. "Sometimes, he'll only tell you what he thinks you should know. I suppose it's due to the fear he has of his mother."

"It was a survival mechanism beaten into him. Sometimes I would go to his home, and he'd have a broken wrist or a bruise in a completely innocent spot. Both he and Marie would insist that he was playing and fell, or he had done something clumsy." He finished his braid and twirled the ends around his finger before undoing the hairstyle. "It was easy to believe; Ronnie is a clumsy boy."

"Indeed he is," agreed William. His mind revisited the episode when he had taken Ronald to the hospital with an injured knee due to his graceless antics.

"One day, I managed to talk Marie into letting me take Ronnie places when I thought he needed a break from his lessons or needed cheering up. We spent plenty of time outside—the movies, going to the park, eating ice cream. Even out of sight of that bitch, Ronnie said nothing to me at all, though. I always told him he could tell me anything, and I would always listen. He would simply say, 'smile for me, Grellie-elle.'" Grell sniffed and pressed his fingers against his cheek, wiping away the warm tears he hadn't realized were falling. "He doesn't call me 'Grellie-elle' anymore." The redhead reached into his purse and pulled out a scarlet colored silk handkerchief. He looked away and lifted up his glasses to dab the corners of his eyes.

When he spoke again, his voice was strained and thick with emotion. "To this day, it's hard to pry things from him unless he's willing. I hate it, but I still have trouble reading him. I wish he would talk to me. Instead, I would come home to find him drunk or on the floor in the kitchen or bathroom covered in blood." Grell closed his eyes, squeezing the tears pooling in their corners. He slowly opened them, blinking away the stray drops. "Why couldn't he just come to me?" he asked, his voice cracking, "he didn't have to hurt himself."

Grell burst into a fit of hiccups as he fought to stave off his tears. Red blotches of color appeared on his cheeks. He took in slow, deep breaths to calm himself. William remained silent to allow the shorter man to regain his composure. After a few minutes, the hiccups and tears ceased; only the occasional sniff remained.

"I'm sorry, Willy," Grell muttered as he wiped at his eyes. Knowing that he had shown weakness in front of the man, a deep flush spread across his face.

At a loss for words at seeing Sutcliff break down, William merely nodded in acknowledgement of his words. A blush of his own painted his cheeks.

"Did he seek any form of mental health assistance?" asked William cautiously, speaking carefully in fear of upsetting the redhead.

Grell neatly folded his silk handkerchief into a small square and placed it back in his purse. He let out a shuddering breath and looked at William head on. "Ronnie was immediately put into treatment when he was first taken to the hospital. He underwent various forms of counseling and placed on medications for anxiety. It took a long time, but eventually he was deemed fine to go home. The problem? He had no where to live. His mother had been arrested and his father was gone."

"He was at an age where he could claim independence. In order to claim liberation, he would've had to maintain a steady form of employment, a safe place to live, and prove that he could live on his own. Considering the circumstances, he couldn't fulfill the requirements."

"Another choice we had was foster care. We both know the system is broken and children easily get lost in it. As horrific as it sounds, as long as people qualify and are approved to be a suitable foster, the state will pawn children off to get them out. I was able to foster Ronnie and eventually adopt him. Since then, I've been doing everything I can to take care of him." Grell exhaled an exhausted breath.

Silence settled between the two men. William pondered over the information shared by Sutcliff. A question formed in his mind.

"Ronald told me that you found him and called the police," said Will, breaking the silence.

"I did...but it involves Gregory. Are you should you want to know, darling?"

"Yes," he stated.

Sutcliff sat up straight on the bed and readjusted himself into a more comfortable position. He folded his hands onto his lap. "During the time I tutored Ronnie, Gregory slowly became distant and verbally abusive toward my mother. Unlike him, my mother Charlotte and I had a strong relationship. We constantly confided in one another. She believed he was having an affair. He ignored her and frequently seemed preoccupied by things he felt were more important than their relationship or his family. Despite her advances, he lost interest in her sexually as well as emotionally. He was at 'work' more often than not, claiming that he was planning on moving his practice to another location. Naturally, we both concluded that he was sleeping with someone."

"One day after a particularly nasty argument, he stormed out of the house. I quickly grabbed my purse and jumped into my car. I followed him from a distance, but made sure I wouldn't lose him. I paid no mind to where he was going—I had been too pissed off to notice. Eventually he parked in front of Ronnie's house. I instantly believed he was having an affair with Marie. It would've explained as to why they were so close when it came to acquaintances. I had already noticed that they had more of a relationship that went past the simple doctor and patient situation."

"I waited a while after he had gone into their home. Like a fool, I figured I'd catch him in the act so I grabbed my purse and phone and ran over to the house. I peeked through the windows. I found Marie sitting in the living room where I tutored Ronnie. I circled around the house and moved on to other rooms, but I couldn't see him."

"I was standing in their backyard next to the giant oak tree behind their house. For some reason, I looked up at their attic window. It's a hard thing to see considering the tree hid it quite well from view. On a whim, I climbed up to the top and hopped onto the roof. My heart stopped when I looked inside the window."

A pregnant pause took over his monologue. He swallowed down the lump of emotion that threatened to gag him as memories of that day swam in front of his eyes. "I—" he coughed, his falsetto voice choking on his words. He cleared his throat. "I could see everything: Ronnie on the bed with my father. It was horrific, disgusting, something that can't be put into words. I'll never forget it."

The brunet looked down at his lap, noticing that his white-knuckled hands were gripping his knees. He wanted to tell Grell that he had changed his mind—he didn't want to hear the details. He lost the opportunity to voice his request.

"Somehow I managed to quietly break into the window and pull myself into the room. Once I was in there, I froze. For some reason, the more I saw, the less I knew what to do. Before I realized what I was doing, I was reaching into my bag for the pair of scissors I kept in there."

William lifted an eyebrow. "You carry scissors with you?"

"Well darling, a lady needs to watch out for split ends," explained Grell.

"I see..."

"Anyway...I crept over to the bed, and I stabbed Gregory as hard and deep as I could in the neck. He didn't shout or cry; just bled. Blood had splashed onto my face when I stabbed him. I can still feel it to this day." Grell watched the coloring of William's pallor fade to a ghostly white. "I pushed him off Ronnie and he fell onto the floor."

"Ronnie didn't move a muscle. He laid there looking at the ceiling. I panicked and shook him, trying to get him to look at me," Grell sniffed. His emotions were slowly getting the best of him again. "When he did, tears were running down his face and he looked at me as if he had no idea who I was."

"I tried pulling him from the bed, but his wrist was zip tied to one of the posts. I had to get the scissors that were lodged in Gregory's neck so I could cut him loose. When I got him off of the bed, we fell over—Ronnie was dead weight. There was no way I could carry him out the window."

"I called the police, told them where we were, and to go through the front door. They arrived along with the EMS. Marie was arrested. Gregory was pronounced DOA. Ronnie was taken to the hospital where he had tests done: X-rays, blood work, and the like. It turns out, the reason why he was unresponsive to me when I found him was due to the large dose of GHB in his system, which was undoubtedly given to him by my father."

"As for Marie, it took about a year for her to actually go to trial. She was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, child abuse, sexual assault and abuse, and a felony for trafficking."

"If she was charged with sexual abuse—"

"Yes," confirmed Grell, his tone disgusted and morose. "But in the end, she was charged with everything but the trafficking. She's was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with the possibility of parole. The judge was horribly lenient."

"Ronald had talked about a little boy who stayed with him called Finnian," stated William. He pushed up his glasses. "He said his mother had shot him."

"Finnian was no where to be found. Other than Ronnie's word, there was no indication that he was in the house," replied Sutcliff. In need of something to do with his hands, he grabbed hold of his hair and began braiding it into a fishtail. "I believe Ronnie, but every time I was at his home, it was just the three of us."

"Since the trial, I've fought tooth and nail to get him to this point. He's come along way in spite of the major bumps in the road. He studied hard to get his GED...and when he told me he wanted to go to college, I nearly fainted. Then he told me he had already applied behind my back, hoping to surprise me," he said, smiling brightly. "And when he told me he was accepted here, I nearly had a stroke, Willy!"

The side of William's mouth slightly twitched.

"He spent a year of college living at home, but as for the next, he decided that he'd like to live in the dorms. I was beyond excited, yet worried. It may not seem like it, but underneath all his charm, he is a shy boy. I desperately wanted him to find friends on his own; I was tired of seeing him isolated and alone. Despite my excitement, I was afraid he'd fall into a crowd that would be a bad influence on Ronnie. So...we made a deal: if he kept himself in line, he could live in the dorms; if not, he'd have to go."

"Then another stress factor that threatened to turn my gorgeous hair a ghastly gray popped up: you. We both know Ronnie is a very gorgeous boy and although they were biased and unfair assumptions, I was worried you'd do something to him. Not necessarily on purpose...more on the trigger side, considering his history with older men."

The redhead paused to finish up his fishtail. He reached into his bag and pulled out a hair tie. "To be crystal clear, William," began Grell as he wrapped the piece around the end of his hair, "I don't like you, no matter how handsome you are. That dislike deepened once I found out about you two. For now, I will only put up with you for Ronnie's sake."

"I hate to say it, but I'm grateful to you, though. Ronnie doesn't tell me much about you, but he seems more happy-go-lucky, goofy, yet calmer all at once."

William flushed. He readjusted his glasses with both hands, hoping to hide the pink dusting his cheeks. Judging by the shark-tooth grin spread across the shorter man's face, he failed miserably.

"He's bit of a handful isn't he?" asked Grell.

"Yes," agreed the brunet.

"Ah, my dear Ronnie looks like a lost puppy head over heels in love who would follow you anywhere." Grell sighed dramatically. "You know Willy...I'm a hopelessly romantic lady who revels in passion, but he truly is a bit much when it comes to you," he remarked with a grimace. "I just hope the feeling is mutual."

The pink warming his face deepened to an impressive shade of scarlet. William averted his eyes in embarrassment. "I assure you, he is well aware of my feelings toward him."

Grell uncrossed his legs and slapped his hands on his thigh. The sound caused William to jump, and he looked up at the redhead. Will watched him collect his purse and slide off the bed. He walked over to the basket and placed his bag on top of the pile.

"Well, I must be going, darling. The only things I ask of you are don't hold the things I've told you against him and keep him happy in the way I can't." He picked up the basket and carried it over to the exit, setting it down again to open the door. Sutcliff looked over his shoulder. "And don't break his heart, Willy. I'll kill you," he warned with an enthusiastic smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I made a reference to part 2 in the series. William had to take Ron to the hospital because the ding dong jumped off a tree stump and got broke.


	14. Chapter 14

"You've never spoken of Mr. Sutcliff's father," remarked the doctor, shifting in his chair.

"Minus th' some things in court, I never talked major details about him—not even t' Grell," explained the blond. He tilted his head to the side, resting his head on the cool glass of the window. "His name was Gregory," he added, glancing at Alan out of the corner of his eye.

Alan leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on his stomach, intertwining his fingers together. "You and Mr. Sutcliff are very close. What would prevent you from confiding in your friend?"

"Well, Grell saw everythin' in person th' very last time before it was all over. So I didn't have t' explain wha' she saw with her own eyes," answered Ron with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Where is he now?"

"He's dead. Grell killed 'im," stated Ronald, flatly.

Ronald caught a glimpse of the shock behind the man's brown eyes. The corner of his lips twitched as he watched Alan try to hide the expression on his face under a mask of casualty. "I know tha' look on your face, Dr. Alan. I'm not jokin'."

The doctor grimaced. Alan sat up in his chair, the springs loudly squeaking. He cleared his throat. "I apologize, Ron. That's quite a...surprise, to say the least." He tugged on his tie a bit, loosening the accessory.

"Yep. Who knew Grell had it in her?" the young man wondered aloud. Ron readjusted himself on the seat by the window and placed his feet on the floor. He grabbed a pillow and wrapped his arms around it, holding it close. "Thanks to her findin' us that day, Gregory was th' last t' rape me. I could care less tha' he died."

Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Humphries leaned forwards and placed an elbow on his desk and cradled his chin in the palm of his hand. He picked up his pen, preparing to write notes about their conversation. "Since you brought him up, why do you want to talk about Mr. Sutcliff's father? Was there something different about him?"

A red flush bloomed on Knox's cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I think out of everything that's happened, he's th' reason why I feel so ashamed and guilty. Pretty much hate myself."

"Go on, Ron. Say whatever you need to say, no matter how terrible you think it is; I'll listen," vowed Alan.

"Gregory was th' nicest out of all of them. Well, he was nice at first. Th' things he did and th' way he acted changed as time went on," the blond said, picking at his shirt sleeve.

"Sometimes we would just talk or lay there on th' bed cuddling. He'd bring me things like comics or books and movies he somehow knew I'd like. Little things tha' would make it a tiny bit easier to deal with it all. It was weird, but relievin' at the same time. At least I got a break from everythin' when he was in one of those moods."

"Considerin' my way of life, I never did anythin' a teenager—a boy—would've done...If ya catch my drift." Ronald looked down at his lap, too embarrassed to meet Alan's eyes. "One day, he was goin' at it and I was blockin' it out as I always did, so I wasn't payin' attention when he stopped."

"Did he leave?"

"No. In th' back of my mind I knew his time wasn't up yet," answered Knox. He chewed on his bottom lip and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was too busy off in lala land to notice wha' he was doin' until I started to feel good; like really good. I looked down and saw tha' he was, uh...oral sex."

"So basically, I had my first orgasm with Gregory while he was doing that. And the way he smiled at me afterwards...He seemed happy tha' he managed to make me have one and the look in his eyes promised it wouldn't be th' last. His expression was scary and it freaked me out. It was true though, it wasn't th' last time. The rest of the day he kept doin' it, and I climaxed over and over."

Ron watched the brunet write things down in his notebook. He leaned the back of his head against the cold glass of the window and took a deep breath, and let it out slowly through his nose. "I didn't see him for a few days after that. Durin' that time, I had nightmares about it—how good it all felt, his smiles. I didn't understand why I enjoyed somethin' I didn't want."

"Sometimes our bodies will react to things even when we don't want them to when certain nerves are stimulated. It's no fault of your making," attested Alan.

"Yeah I know. It's just...I was ashamed and disgusted when I admitted to myself tha' I loved it and wanted more." The young man glanced up at the doctor, his gaze connecting with kind eyes.

"I lost a lot of sleep over it. Th' customers started to complain that I seemed a bit sick and unhealthy. My mum gave me sleepin' pills. One night, I had taken a whole bunch. I didn't mean to—I was just so tired. When I still couldn't sleep, I got pissed off and found some vodka, and got drunk figuring that blackin' out would count as sleep. I didn't think about what would happen after taking a whole bunch of medicine. I woke up covered in puke. I got a hardcore beating from my mum over it. Said she didn't need me looking even more sick. Makeup was used to cover the nice bruises she left behind," he sighed before falling silent. Knox twisted in his seat so he could look out the window, watching leaves be blown away by the wind that had picked up.

After a few quiet minutes, Alan spoke up. "What happened the next time you saw Gregory?"

Ronald turned his head to look at Dr. Humphries. "Orgasms. He did a bunch more to 'make up for lost opportunity,'" he replied, bending his fingers in mock air quotes. "Gregory told me th' reason why I wanted it all th' time was because I loved him and he loved me. I actually fuckin' believed him." Ron let out a soft, humorless laugh. "I must've gone off th' deep end to assume such a thing," he surmised. "I guess it couldn't be helped considerin' what my life was like."

"After that, I grew attached to him. I looked forward t' being with Gregory." A red blush spread along the tips of his ears and he hung his head, staring down at his lap. "Couldn't wait to get into bed with him," he continued, "I even made sure to not let myself enjoy it with others because I thought I would be betrayin' or cheatin' on him."

"For a year of bein' madly in 'love', he said he was goin' to leave his wife and take me from my mum so we could be together forever; I jumped on tha' train without a second thought. But deep down I knew it was all a lie. I guess I just didn't care since it meant I could get away from th' abuse."

"I overheard him talkin' to my mum, sayin' he'd like to buy me for some amount of money he figured she couldn't resist. I was so happy, I had th' nerve to pack a bag. When my mum saw it, she beat me t' a pulp and broke my arm." The blond sniffed and wiped his nose, unaware that it had been running. "I didn't see Gregory for a long time."

"You said things changed along the way," reminded Alan. He paused to write down a few notes. "Tell me about it, if you're willing."

"My mum did let him come back eventually. He was violent—choked and beat me, tied me up and gagged me when I cried. Got rough t' the point where I threw up or blacked out from the pain. He even pulled a knife out and cut me." Knox pulled up his shirt sleeve and showed the brunet a scar. "Grell thinks that this," he pointed at the one closest to the palm of his hand, "was due to a suicide attempt. But it was Gregory who did it out of jealousy. He told me I was a whore for cheatin' on him with all of th' other customers, and if he couldn't have me to himself, no one could. He also cut my leg, threaten' to slice open my femoral artery. Cut deep enough and you're done. Obviously I was scared shitless."

"But my mum did nothin' to stop him. She was makin' money and there was always makeup, so why not?" Ron shrugged.

"Gregory went from being th' nicest to th' worst of them all. He scared me to the point tha' somehow, I managed to have enough sense and strength to fight back for once. I don't know where it came from. It last long, though. The harder I tried, the more I realized I couldn't. Turns out, he was druggin' me."

Ron let out a huff of air, blowing the blond fringe from his forehead. He slapped his hands against his thighs. "Now he's dead and it's over."

Alan tapped his blue ink pen against his lips, observing Ronald fidget by the window as his mind filled with thoughts and questions. Finally he settled on one. "Besides your stays with us here at the center, how has he affected your life in spite of his death?"

"Well sexually, I did experiment—guys, girls. I wanted t' know if I could experience th' sex you're supposed to have in a normal life. It was a fail. I thought of all those people, but mostly Gregory. A part of me still felt like I was betrayin' him. I started t' drink to forget him, whatever normal sex I tried t' have. It all led to here." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck with one hand; the fingers of the other tapped on his leg. "I still worry, though," he added.

Glancing down at the paper scribbled with references, Alan scanned over everything he had written. His eyes settled on something he circled earlier on in their session. He looked up at his patient. "You're worried about William," he declared.

A pale pink dusted his cheeks. "Yeah," the blond admitted, once again rubbing his neck, leaving the flesh red and chaffed. He slightly winced at the pain he was inflicting on his skin.

"Why?"

"He's th' first relationship I've had. I don't want t' ruin it by somehow thinkin' about Gregory. I mean...Will doesn't remind me of any of those people when we're together in bed or hangin' out on dates and stuff. I forget it all. But it still creeps deep in th' back of my mind. I'm worried tha' I'll mess everythin' up and he'll hate me. It's hard t' explain," Ron replied with a long sigh. 

"Minus what you just shared about Mr. Sutcliff's father, you told him a fair amount?" asked Dr. Humphries. Knox nodded his head. "And in spite of it all, he's still standing by your side?" He received another nod in response. "Then you should try to make an effort to not doubt your William. Don't let your fears and worries dictate what you have now. Do it for yourself first; others second."

Ron flashed a lopsided smile. "I'll do my best," he promised.

Alan put down his pen, then looked at his watch. "Unfortunately, we're out of time," he announced. "You'll be seeing Dr. Othello sometime this week or the next?"

"Mhmm," Ron hummed, standing up. He walked to Alan's desk and held out his hand, which Alan took in his own. Once they shook their goodbyes, Ronald made his way towards the door.

"Ronald?" Alan piped up. His patient stopped and turned around to face him. "You didn't socialize much the last time you were here. You were very lonely."

"Yeah," agreed Ron, looking at the man sheepishly.

"There's a boy here who could use a friend."

"Alrigh'...uh, what's his name?" asked Ron, feeling a bit awkward.

"He has dark hair—almost blue in coloring. His name's Ciel," voiced the brunet. "I think you two might find each other amusing."

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Week 2**

Once Ron had finished devouring a late lunch—which mostly consisted of food comprised of bacon and fries—he made his way to the common room used for leisurely activities. 

He passed through the door and looked around the room, briefly glancing at the patients invested in television, reading, and playing any games available to them. Most were too preoccupied to notice him, such as the young man whom sat in the corner, knee deep in books. For a moment, Ron considered talking to him, but he was searching for someone in particular. He continued to scan the area until his eyes fell on someone sitting next to the window, playing a solitary game of chess. _There he is_ , he thought to himself. With a deck of cards in his own hand, Knox approached the table and sat in the chair opposite of him, taking in the boy's appearance: dark hair, preppy clothes. The little boy sat there with one elbow on the arm of the chair, his cheek pillowed on the knuckles with a bored expression on his face and his legs, crossed. Not to mention, he paid no mind to Ron's presence, simply moving another piece on the board.

Clearing his throat, Ron rubbed at the back of his neck. "Uh, hey… You're Ciel, righ'?" he asked, trying to start a conversation. "I'm R–"

"I know who you are. You're the fool Dr. Humphries said I should speak to," sighed Ciel apathetically, not bothering to look up. He moved the knight in an 'L' shape and took out a bishop. "Go away."

"Fool?" blinked Ronald, lifting his brows.

Finally, the younger boy looked at him. "I've seen you bumbling around here, Knox. I could use other words if you prefer," he smirked.

Heaving a sigh, the blond chose to ignore the smug smile and changed the subject by opening up the deck of UNO. "Ya want t' play a round?" he asked, waving the box in front of the other's face.

"I don't play silly little games. It's a waste of time and energy," Ciel responded nonchalantly, his focus reverting to the board.

"It's better than sittin' here all by yourself," Ron retorted, "Lookin' bored."

"I'm not bored. I'm playing chess which requires both skill and intelligence. Unlike some, I enjoy using my brain."

Ronald began to grit his teeth and scowled across the table, unable to dismiss the tone in which the boy spoke. He lifted a finger and jabbed it in Ciel's direction. "Listen, ya little smart—"

"Swearing at a child, are we?" surmised Ciel, lifting a brow above his pale lavender eyes. "What would Dr. Humphries have to say?" He smirked, watching the blond's face turn red.

Knox's own brows furrowed at him, his eyes throwing daggers behind his glasses. If this is what Dr. Alan meant by amusing, Ronald thought, it must have been code for "strangle the little brat." He closed his eyes and drew in a breath; he would not let this pesky kid get the best of him.

With another sigh, he placed an elbow on the table and cradled his chin in the palm of his hand; his opposite hand tapped fingers on the wood as he clicked his teeth. "So…" he whistled, looking out the windows at the flurry of snowflakes.

"Didn't I tell you to go away?" hissed Ciel.

"Hey, I'm just sittin' here watchin' the snow," he pointed out and clicked his teeth, his fingers tapping again.

The raven-haired boy scowled. "You're trying to annoy me."

"Wha' if I am?" Ron repeated the actions, catching the look on the boy's face. The side of his lips twitched into a faint grin.

"You are distracting me."

"It's too late. Checkmate," said Ron, pointing at the board. Thanks to William and the numerous defeats at a rate of one hundred percent, he was an expert at losing and knowing when he lost.

Frustrated, Ciel threw a dirty look at him. "Do you always talk this much?"

"Pretty much," Knox shrugged.

"If I play, will you leave me be?" asked Ciel, lifting his head from his hand, uncrossing his legs to straighten up in his seat.

"Yup!" chirped the older man, popping the 'p'. He pushed the chess board to the side and pulled the cards out of the UNO box, dealing out seven for each of them.

______________________________

"Uno," Ron warned with a smirk.

"Damn you!" Ciel shrieked, slamming a fist on the table before he slapped the cards face down on the surface. "You're cheating!"

"How th' hell am I cheatin'? You're th' one who sucks at it," he shot back. Knox stared at the boy, watching the steam hiss out of both ears.

Growling, the younger boy shoved the cards across the table. "I'm done with this childish game," he sneered.

"Sore loser, eh?" Knox teased. "We haven't made it t' five-hundred points yet and y'wanna give up?"

"Are you trying to make enemies here?"

"Well before ya go crazy on me, is there a game you'd like t' play?" Ron asked before the other snarled and foamed at the mouth. "Maybe somethin' a bit easier. It's borin' t' always be th' one t' win." The glance he received from Ciel was most likely promising him he wouldn't be sleeping for the duration of his stay.

"If you want a challenge, I believe I can take you on 'Monopoly'. I do have a way with money."

"Tha' game will take too long. I have t' be somewhere soon," excused Ron, looking away as he shoved the cards back into the box.

"We'll play until you have to leave and we can pack it to resume later," Ciel suggested. "Are you afraid you'll lose to a little boy?"

"Wha'—no!" Ron exclaimed. He would never admit it, but he knew if he didn't buy the Railroads before Ciel did, he would certainly lose. It was a superstition he lived by and it happened every single time. "Fine," he conceded, "get the game."

The boy went across the room to a shelf full of games and other items used to entertain inhabitants. Minutes later, he returned to the table and laid down a long, white box—the familiar mascot nearly taunting Ron before his inevitable failure. He couldn't stand that large mustache, he grimaced to himself, watching as Ciel opened the lid and pulled out the board to unfold.

"I will be the banker, as well as the top hat," Ciel declared. He picked up the multicolored pieces of paper representing money and put them in the blue, plastic container that separated the bills for easier access. Then he began handing out the correct number of bills, starting with two five-hundred bills each.

Ron picked up the smaller cards, Community Chest and Chance, and shuffled them before setting the cards in their respective places on the board. Sighing, he stared at the tokens and picked one out for himself. "I guess I'll b' the cowboy."

Once everything was in order, Ciel rolled the pair of dice, thus beginning the game.

After a few rounds of passing 'Go' and collecting two-hundred dollars, as well as landing on the tax parts—instead of the Railroads—the majority of Ron's money went to Free Parking; Ciel frequently landed on that spot. The worst part...Ciel bought the Railroads and Ronald was most certainly convinced he had lost the game.

A bright smile spread across Ciel's smug little face and he pulled the money from below the board—he landed on Free Parking. Again. "I wonder how much I've collected...this time," he bragged, emphasizing Ronald's plight by counting the money in front of him.

Five-thousand, two-hundred, and thirty-five dollars was the total amount. Ciel smirked triumphantly as Ron banged his forehead off the table. Groaning, he banged his head again. When he lifted it, there was a bright red spot on the abused skin. He looked at his watch, seeing that he had to go to group.

"Well, kid. We need t' pack up," stated Ron.

"Wait. You're leaving already?" asked Ciel, his tone crestfallen, his taunting smile twisting into a frown.

"Yeah, I have t' go t' group," replied Ron. He picked up his money, properties, deeds, and houses to put in a separate container so he could get them later. He looked up, noticing the look on Ciel's face. "We're gonna play later, righ'?"

"I remember," nodded Ciel. Like Ronald, he collected his things and put them in a place to retrieve when the time comes.

"I'll find someone to keep th' board safe so I can beat ya later when we start."

"It's sad to know that you believe such a thing is possible."

Ronald looked at him and stuck out his tongue.

"And I'm supposed to be the childish one," Ciel drawled.

Ron closed the box and got up, searching for whomever he thought would keep the game safe while he was away. His eyes settled on an employee behind the desk. He walked up to the young woman.

"Can ya hold on to this for me? I'm in a middle of a game and I'd like t' keep it goin' for when I get back," he explained, flashing a charming smile.

"Oh! Sure," she answered, smiling at the blond whom she believed to be a cutie. She took the box and placed it under the desk for safe keeping.

"Thank you," said Ron, throwing a flirty wink in her direction. He grinned again before turning away and walking back to Ciel.

"I'll see ya later on," he said, tapping the table in goodbye.

______________________________

Ronald strolled leisurely into the room where the group therapy meetings (overseen by Dr. Othello) were to be held. In the middle of the room was a small circle of metal chairs and at the head, sat Othello with his legs crossed and a clipboard on his lap, bobbing his leg. Off to the left of Othello, sat the boy whom Ronald often found buried in books. The blond looked at the four others in attendance and his eyes settled on one person—Ciel, sitting with his legs crossed and his cheek settled on the back of his hand, looking disinterested. Ron lifted his eyes in surprised; he hadn't expected to see the little boy there. Ciel answered the surprised expression on Ron's face with a lopsided smirk. Once he had made it to the circle, he chose a seat next to Othello, directly across the boy with a book in his lap.

"Hey, Ronnie. How's it going?" asked Othello.

"What an adorable name," interjected Ciel, sarcastically. "Little Ronnie."

"I'm good. Sorry I'm late," apologized the blond, shooting the punk a glare.

Othello waved the boy's words away. "Don't worry about it. All that matters is that you showed up." He sat back on his metal chair and laid an arm across his stomach, the hand of it cradling the elbow of his other. He tapped the pen in his free hand against his lips.

"Now that we're all here, let's get the ball rolling," Othello announced, looking at each participant. "So, rules. Don't bash each other; we're a therapy as well as a support group. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." He cast a covert glance at Ciel, whom was sitting there with his eyes closed, a smirk blossoming across his ivory cheeks. "Participation is optional. You can share anything you'd like, or you can just listen. If a question comes up, answer if you're comfortable enough to do so."

He clapped his hands together. "Would anyone like to start us off?"

Ronald looked around. Two young men were shaking their heads. The one with a book in his lap opened it and began flipping the pages, tearing at their corners in what appeared to be a nervous tick. Ciel sat there with his eyes closed, his facial expression blasé. Ron silently wondered if he truly was bored, or had simply fallen asleep—due to boredom.

"I suppose I'll go," sighed, Ciel. He opened his lavender eyes and sat up, placing his hands on his knee. "My name is Ciel. I have a cousin who is much older than I am—Lizzy. She molested me for a number of years. And to avoid a scandal, my parents sent me here." He laid his cheek back on his hand and closed his eyes. "Someone else go."

The blond exhaled a long breath. "I'm R—"

"Little Ronnie," murmured Ciel, just loud enough for Knox to hear.

"I'm Ronald. I'm here because of my mum. She might be gettin' out of prison."

The sound of paper ripping caught the blond's attention and he looked at the boy across from him.

"Whoops!" he exclaimed, closing the book with a thump. He pulled the sleeves of his white sweater down and over his hands. He crossed his arms and leaned against the book on his lap. "I'm Sascha," he said, smilingly brightly. "My ex-boyfriend, Ludger, domestically and sexually abused me. There was Nicky, who I considered to be my best friend. He attacked me as well."

______________________________

Laying down on the cream-colored couch, Grell stretched along its length and placed his head on Undertaker's lap.

"Hmm~" hummed Grell, closing his eyes as his lover began to play with his hair.

"Somethin' wrong, love?" asked Undertaker, running his fingers through the long red locks sprawled across his thighs.

Sutcliff reached up and brushed the silver fringe from Undertaker's forehead, smiling up at him brightly when their gazes met. "I haven't heard from the little twerp," he sighed. "Why hasn't he called me?"

"You told him not to just sit around the whole time he's there, yeah?"

"Well, yes. But that doesn't mean—"

The redhead's words were cut off by the loud sound of his phone vibrating against the wooden coffee table. Stretching an arm out, Grell grabbed it and looked at the ID. Squealing with delight, he shot up, knocking heads with Undertaker. "I'm so sorry, darling," he murmured, kissing the sore spot on the man's forehead.

"Ronnie, darling!" exclaimed Grell as soon as he answered his phone. "Why haven't you called me?" he asked darkly, his voice low.

Ronald rubbed the back of his neck, blinking at his friend's sudden change of tone. "I just got my phone back."

"That is no excuse!" countered Grell. "I've been worried about you. Are they treating you well? Is anyone picking on you? Are you eating enough?..."

Ron stood there, listening to the redhead rattle off question after question after question. He tapped his foot, patiently waiting for Grell to run out of breath. Upon hearing a sharp intake of air, he figured it was safe to finally speak.

"I'm fine, Grell," he assured him. He walked over to his bed and fell unceremoniously onto it, slightly bouncing up from the mattress. "No one's pickin' on me. They always have bacon, so y' know I'm eatin'."

"The bacon," Grell gigged, rolling his eyes. He leaned against Undertaker, settling his cheek against the other's shoulder. "So how is everything, darling?"

"Tell Ronnie I said 'hi'," muttered Undertaker into Sutcliff's hair.

"Undie says 'hello'!" echoed Grell.

"Hey Underwear," replied Ron. He smirked, hearing the faint sound of laughter on the other end of the line when Grell relayed his message.

"I just finished up group therapy with Othello," said Ron, fighting back the impending yawn by covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "We didn't talk about much. It was mostly everyone introducin' themselves."

"Have you made any friends? You're not keeping to yourself, are you?"

"Dr. Humphries told me t' talk t' this kid he thought I'd find 'amusing'."

A smile spread along Grell's cheeks and he giggled, catching the telling tone under the blond's words. "Strangle the poor soul, yet?"

"Nah, he's still alive...for now," joked Knox. He sat up on his bed and shifted his body, putting his feet on the floor. "So, um..."

"Willy's fine, sweetie. I saw him the other day when I went to your room to get your laundry," said Grell. "I still don't understand how you manage to be so messy. I taught you much better than that!"

"Did he say anythin'? Is he mad?"

"No, he's not. The handsome man may be made of marble, but I can tell he misses you—even if he won't say it. I tried making your bed while I was there, but he wouldn't let me touch it! He must miss you terribly if he's willing to stare at that mess."

Ronald flushed brightly. "Oh..."

"He passed along your mail. I'm sorry to put a damper on our conversation, but you received another letter from court. Do you want me to open it?" asked Grell, hoping the boy would say yes—seeing as he already opened it.

"Yeah, go ahead," muttered the blond, rubbing the back of his neck.

"The hearing's been postponed until March. So you have more time to decide on whether or not you'd like to go. Do you want to me to call Miss Angelina Dalles or would you rather wait?"

"Wha' would Miss Maddy do about it?"

"Well, she was able to get your mother convicted. Mr. Michaelis put up a fight for Marie, and she nearly walked away. We may need her help with something," reasoned Grell.

"Yeah, I know," sighed Ron. He kicked his foot against the floor, the rubber squeaking against the wood.

"Have you kept everything your mother sent you over the years? Cards, letters, and whatnot?"

"If ya go back to my dorm room, there's a box full of stuff in th' far back of the wardrobe."

"I'll get that and take it home with me," Grell said, exhaling a long breath.

Ronald looked at his watch. "Alrigh' Grell. I have t' give my phone back. Can y' tell Will I said 'hi' if he's there when you go?"

"Or you could tell him yourself," pointed out Grell. "All you have to do is call, honey."

"Eh...I'll think about it. But I'll call ya th' next time I get my phone, ok?"

"Alright. I love you, darling. Bye!" chirped Grell, making a kissing sound before he hung up.

Knox sighed, dropping his phone onto the bed.

"Is 'Will' your boyfriend, Little Ronnie?" questioned Ciel, leaning against the blond's doorframe.

Ron jumped at the unexpected sound and turned to face the direction of the voice, his cheeks burning as he glared at the intruder. "You're pretty creepy, y' know tha'?"

A sly smirk appeared on the raven-haired boy's face. "So he is— _umph_!"

His taunt was abruptly cut off when Ron threw his pillow, smacking hard him in the face, nearly sending him toppling to the floor.


	16. Chapter 16

**Week 3**

Ever so slowly, Grell opened the door of his car and placed a high-heeled boot on a patch of ice atop the pavement outside the university's dormitory. He tried to climb out of the driver's seat and all but for a moment, he nearly slipped to the ground as he struggled to maintain balance. Fortunately, before anyone caught a glimpse of his clumsy moment, he caught himself before he could topple over; a lady must always be graceful, after all. He took a cautious step from the vehicle and shut the door, pressing a button on his key fob—the car responding with a familiar chirp as the doors locked. Drawing in a breath, he smoothed down his red peacoat and threw his hair over his shoulder before proceeding toward the dorm entrance, passing a multitude of students whom happily conversed about the final week of the semester approaching.

"Hold the door, please!" requested Grell, waving a glove at the man exiting the building. Upon entering, his red-rimmed glasses began to fog and the warm air thawed the cold pink tint that kissed his cheeks. Hearing a faint snicker, Sutcliff tilted his chin downward and gazed over his spectacles at the young man before him. "Thank you," he said, the look in his eyes telling the boy to shut his trap—he swiftly complied. With a wiggle of his fingers, the redhead waved his hand in gratitude and turned from the pupil.

He quickly trotted up the stairway, his heels clicking on the cement as he made way to William's room. Once outside of the brunet's living quarters, he rapped his knuckles against the door to no answer. With a curious hum, Sutcliff took off his gloves and knocked again, much more forcibly than before.

"Willy~!" Grell sang with another knock. "Are you in?" When the man failed to respond, he reached into his coat pocket for the spare key Ronald had given him before he left for the recovery center—taking it upon himself to unlock the door and enter the room.

Closing it, he turned around and gave a little start when he saw William asleep at his desk.

"William," Grell spoke softly as he approached the unconscious brunet, "Wake up, sweetie." Once he was by the other's side, he gently shook his shoulder. From the corner of his eye, the redhead noticed a wrinkled piece of paper clutched in Spears' hand.

Snorting, William shot upright at the unexpected touch. He glanced up with exhausted eyes at the presence standing next to him, his sleek glasses askew. "Sutcliff?" he muttered sleepily, readjusting his spectacles. "How did you get into the room?"

A small smile appeared on Grell's face. "Ronnie gave me his key," he explained, reaching forward and pulling off a sheet of paper stuck to Will's cheek.

"Pardon me," excused the seated man, flushing at the fact he was seen in such an undignified state. William stood from the desk and went to his bed, sitting down. He didn't realize he was still holding on to the letter. "Is there a reason for your visit?"

"I need to fetch something of Ronnie's," informed the crimson-haired man. He walked to the blond's wardrobe and leaned in to grab a cardboard box buried toward the back. As he straightened, his long hair caught in a hanger and he squeaked in pain, dropping the box; its contents spilled onto the floor.

Putting down the letter, Will hurried toward the other man and reached into the closet to carefully remove the hanger to allow the redhead to uncoil his tangled strands.

"Thank you, darling," sighed Grell. Once his hair was free, he put the hanger back in the wardrobe, then kneeled to begin picking up the mess.

Aware it would be impolite to leave Sutcliff to his own devices, the brunet kneeled to assist him. He picked up envelopes of different colors and sizes. In spite of the crass notion, he read the addresses on each envelope. Will looked up to find the other returning a gaze with hardened eyes.

"Letters from Marie over the years," Grell offered, collecting the items. "As you can see, most of them are unopened. I guess he eventually grew curious and opened a few."

William put the last letter in the box and stood. "I see," he replied, pushing up his glasses.

Grell lifted the box and put it on the unkempt bed, unsurprised to see it was still a mess—just like the last time he had seen it. "I've read the letters he cared to share. Some are oddly pleasant, most are not," he sighed, sitting on Knox's bed. He crossed his legs and placed an elbow on the box's lid. "I guess they could be useful in case things go south for the boy."

"I did collect our mail this morning," said William, "and taking in the return address and the contents of my notice, Ronald's must contain something in relation to mine." He picked up the wrinkled letter and leaned forward, handing it over to the redhead. "I assume he will find this quite unsettling." His lips twitched into a slight frown against his expressionless features.

Once his eyes quickly scanned the paper, Grell's mouth fell open. "Can they do this?" he asked incredulously, glancing up at Will.

"It is their policy," he pointed out, pushing up his glasses a second time.

"My baby's going to be heartbroken," muttered Grell. He stood and handed the letter back to the brunet before retrieving Ronald's own letter from his desk.

"As am I," William thought to himself. A faint hue of pink dusted his cheeks as the words blossomed in his mind.

Sighing, Grell tapped the edge of the envelope against the desk. "Is there anything I can do to stop it from happening?"

"No. The matter is already settled. It is now in the hands of whoever is involved. Either way, I am unsure as to whether or not Ronald would be able to put in a request if the situation were to change." William looked down at his hands and noticed his fingers were curled into the fabric of his pants, his knuckles white. An emotion he wasn't used to feeling spread across his chest before it settled in his stomach: one he tried to shove back to wherever it originated.

"I'll see if I can sneak in a visit to Ronnie," Grell suggested. He walked back to the box and placed his hands on each side in preparation for lifting. "I'm sorry I can't bring you along, darling," He shifted his body to face William, hoisting the box against his torso. "Is there anything you'd like to say, or perhaps a letter?"

Silent, William considered the option of writing a letter before he walked to his desk and opened a drawer. Inside sat a box wrapped in brown paper with a twine string, holding a small note in place. He gave it a gentle shake, hearing the candy shifting around inside with a proper letter.

The brunet held it out to Grell, setting it on top of the larger box he was holding. "I believe he will understand the meaning behind the contents of this package."

______________________________

_Today was my favorite day of the week: book club night._

_  
I walked to the coffee table sitting next to the couch and reached for my messenger bag, opening it to ensure all of my necessities were inside, along with my favorite book. Once I made sure everything was where it should be, I slung the strap of the bag over my head and settled it on my shoulder._

_I looked at Ludger who relaxed on the couch as he watched the television, flicking through the channels with the remote in one hand—a cigarette in the other._

_"I'm leaving for book club now," I informed him._

_Ludger gazed up at me with empty eyes. He put the cigarette in his mouth and took a long drag, then blew a ring of smoke in my face. "Don't be out too late," he warned as he watched me cough and wave the fumes from my face. "I'm not in the mood to go searching for you again."_

_I understood the message in the tone of his voice; it sent chills down my spine as my skin prickled. "I won't," I promised, smiling brightly in spite of the anxiety rising in my chest._

_Ludger took one last look at me to study the clothes I was wearing. They were loose enough to make a quick inspection of my body for when I returned. Satisfied with my attire, he flicked the ashes away from the cigarette and returned his attention to the television. I was dismissed._

_I turned with a slightly painful wince and strolled toward the front door of the apartment, closing it quietly behind me so as not to disturb the man on the other side by making too much noise._

_Outside the air was cool and crisp, the dark sky glittered with stars and a bright full moon. Judging by its size, I wondered if it was the super moon that was supposed to make an appearance soon. Regardless, it was beautiful and I wished we could have the club outside so we could read beneath the moonlight._

_Humming a happy and excited tune, I skipped down the sidewalk in the direction of the coffee shop where the weekly meetings were held. I couldn't wait to get there. Other than being surrounded by those who loved books as much as I, my best friend Nicky would be there too. He was the first friend Ludger said I could have—a gift for behaving and doing what I was told._

_After a few minutes, I finally stood in front of the cafe. With a genuine smile, I opened the door and stepped inside. My eyes searched for the group and in the far corner, I saw Nicky waving, beckoning me to join them. I swiftly made my way to the table and sat down in the empty chair next to my best friend._

_"Hi guys!" I greeted them. I opened my bag and grabbed the book before setting it on the floor next to the chair. I put the book on the table and flipped open its page; everyone did the same._

_"Chapter one of World War Z," I stated, bubbling with excitement. I've read the novel plenty of times before, but I never grew tired of the story. It was my all time favorite. "Who would like to read first?" Nicky raised a hand and wiggled his fingers, silently volunteering._

_Before I knew it, World War Z was unfortunately tucked back into my bag. I stood from the chair and stretched, placing a hand over my mouth to hide a tired yawn. "Bye guys," I waved with my free hand as they got up from their seats and said their own goodbyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder and it startled me, nearly sending me out of my skin. I looked to find Nicky behind me._

_"Would you like a ride home?" he asked, grinning at the look on my face._

_"Sure, that would be great," I replied and picked up my bag. "Ludger will be happy for me to get home early."_

_The playful smirk dropped from Nicky's face at the mention of my boyfriend, though it returned before I could discern the meaning of it._

_"Let's get you home," he muttered._

_We walked slowly down the street, chatting about World War Z as we headed in the direction of Nicky's blue Dodge Neon._

_"I love the chaos," I marveled, jumping in the air with my arms raised. I sped up and hopped in front of Nicky; he almost crashed into me. "What's you favorite part of the book? The movie?"_

_"Hmm…" hummed Nicky, tapping his finger against his chin. He gazed down at me, his eyes sparkling. "I love when the zombies are trying to climb up the wall._

_"Me too," I gasped. I turned around and resumed skipping down the sidewalk, my best friend following close behind._

_We continued talking about what we liked and what we didn't like until we both stood on either side of the car. Opening the door, I slid into the passenger seat and put the bag between my legs while Nicky got into the driver's seat._

_"Thank you for offering me a ride home," I said to the man behind the wheel. He didn't respond, just sat and stared out the window. I leaned forward, turning my head to look at him. "Are you al–umph!"_

_As quickly as his lips touched mine, I pushed him away. "What are you doing?!"_

_Nicky looked at me, his eyes hard. "I love you, Sascha," he declared. He reached out to tuck a dark lock of hair behind my ear._

_I stared at him, my cheeks flushed and mouth agape. "N-Nicky," I stuttered to find my voice. Before I could utter another word, he kissed me again and hooked his hand around the back of my neck._

_"S-Stop!" I ordered against his lips, struggling to push him away. Nicky grunted in response and pulled me closer. Unsure of any other way to regain his attention, I bit his lip._

_When Nicky let go, I slapped him hard across the face. He pressed a hand to his lip, then removed his hand to find blood pooling on his fingertips. He glared at me, the look in his eyes causing me to shrink back in my seat._

_I put my hand on the door handle. "I'm going to walk home," I whispered. As soon as I tugged on the handle, the locks clicked. I opened my mouth to tell him to let me out, but my request was muted when he put his hand over my mouth._

_Still muffling my protests, Nicky pushed me into the back seat and shoved me down on my stomach. I squirmed beneath him, trying as hard as I could to buck him off of me. It didn't work._

_He pushed my face into the rough fabric of the seat and I screamed. Heart pounding, my body racked with sobs and the tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the drool that dribbled from my mouth as I begged him to stop. I choked and gagged on the saliva._

_My hair and clothes a mess, I stepped into the apartment in a daze. I dropped my bag on the floor and stumbled down the hall toward the living room._

_"Sascha," called Ludger._

_I stopped in my tracks and faced him. He rose from his spot on the couch and slowly approached me. He looked me up and down, his expression souring as he took in my unkempt appearance._

_"Where are you going?" he asked._

_"To bed," I stoically answered, swaying on my feet._

_Ludger took a step closer and pointed at my pants. "Drop them," he demanded._

_Inspection time—I almost forgot. I reached for the waistband of my pants, my fingers shaking as I unbuttoned them._

_I must've been taking too long for his liking, seeing as he reached forward to drag down both my pants and boxers. He ran his palm up and down each leg, searching for evidence as to whether or not I had done anything I wasn't supposed to. A hand settled on the back of my upper thigh and he looked up at me. He found what he was looking for._

_"L-Ludger… Please, w-wait. I can ex-explain," I stammered. Panic rose in my throat and I hiccuped through the new batch of tears streaming down my face._

_Suddenly, the wind was knocked out of me and I saw stars burst behind my eyes. Ludger had slammed me down on the floor. Not speaking a word, Ludger reached down and grabbed my hair. He pulled me kicking and screaming down the hallway until we reached the bedroom. He threw me in then kicked the door shut._

______________________________

"I lived in a small town so no one say anything. I couldn't get help." He flipped open the book in his lap and began tearing away at the pages. "I can't read anymore," He sighed. "I keep looking for books, but when I open them, I see nothing…"

Sascha looked up at Othello and smiled. "I think I'm done now."

"Is there—" began Othello.

"No, that's enough," he insisted. "Can I go?" Seeing the doctor nod his head, Sascha promptly got up and scurried out the door.

Othello took a deep breath, then exhaled it through his nose as he watched the boy leave. The pen in his hand tapped against the clipboard in his lap. Heaving another sigh, he turned his attention to the others. "Does anyone else have anything they would like to share?"

Everyone shook their heads.

______________________________

Leaning against Knox's doorframe with a water bottle in hand, Ciel stared at the blond snoring on his bed. He straightened up and quietly approached Ronald.

"Little Ronnie," he muttered, glancing down at the unconscious boy. Ron snored in answer and groaned as he scratched the dark hair behind his ear.

Ciel sighed and held the bottle up. With a wicked smirk, he uncapped it and tipped it over, pouring the cold liquid onto Ronald's face.

Knox's eyes snapped open and he shot upright, gasping for air. As he hacked and coughed, he noticed movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head to find Ciel doubled over in laughter.

"How th' hell did you get in here?" he hissed, wiping the water from his cheeks. Ron took off his glasses, using the hem of his black shirt to dry them.

"You left your door wide open, you idiot," answered Ciel, wiping away tears of laughter from his eyes.

Ron shot a glare at the little brat, willing him to catch fire. "Wha' do ya want?"

"What's the matter, Little Ronnie? Are you still bitter about losing all your candy bars?" taunted the raven-haired boy.

"Th' game's not over with," Ron muttered, putting his glasses back on. "Why are ya here?"

Ciel gestured toward the door. "I was sent to fetch you. There's an obnoxious man who thinks he's a woman waiting for you in the common area."


	17. Chapter 17

"Did ya really have t' dump water on my face?' Ron grumbled, swinging his legs onto the floor. With a groan, he pushed himself up from the bed and made his way over to his dresser to pick out a dry shirt. He opened the second drawer and looked at his options. There wasn't much to choose from, seeing as he wore some shade of black ninety-nine percent of the time. "Ya could've just told me y'know," he added, grabbing a random top from his messy drawer. He made quick work of changing before throwing his dirty garment in the direction of his hamper; it missed and fell to the floor, joining the other clothes that were quickly stockpiling.

"True, but where would the fun be in doing that?" asked Ciel, his lips twitching into a lopsided smirk. "Besides, we can't all be boring, Little Ronnie.”

Ronald scowled and his eyes narrowed, watching as the little punk turned his back on him and practically skipped out of his room, throwing a wave over his shoulder.

Following after the lavender-eyed thorn in his side, Ron closed his door and secured it to prevent any more unnecessary intrusions. While he stood there with his hand on the doorknob, a slow smile curved his lips—a form of payback had blossomed in his mind. Knox wondered if Grell would let him borrow his lipstick. He could see it now: the makeup on the doorknob, then Ciel’s face covered in red wax. The boy would deserve it after dumping water on his face and stealing all of his prized candy bars.

With a brighter smile and a skip in his own step, Ron turned and walked toward the common area, passing by fellow inhabitants on his way down the hall.

Upon entering the common area, Ron approached the receptionist at the desk, but his destination was interrupted by the shrill call of his name.

"Ronnie~! shouted Grell, flourishly waving from a chair next to a coffee table.

“Hey, Grell,” replied Ron as he made his way over to the redhead, who greeted him with open arms.

“I’ve missed you so much, darling!” squealed Grell, yanking the blond in for a fierce hug.

  
“I’ve missed ya, too,” Ronald wheezed under the suffocation of the older man’s tight embrace. Thanks in part to the lack of air supply, he could feel his face turn a fire engine red. The other contributing factor to the bright coloring was due to the sensation of Ciel’s lavender eyes boring into the back of his head. He could practically feel the creepy brat’s laughter floating his way. When he felt himself begin to lose consciousness, he pawed at the older man’s grip.

As if on cue, Grell released him and took a step back. “Let me take a look at you,” said Grell. He put his hands on the other’s upper arms and began inspecting the coughing and gasping Ron for any damage inflicted by this center.

“Still wearing black, I see,” he remarked under his voice. Sutcliff licked his hand, then placed it on top of the young man’s unruly blond hair and slicked back the stubborn curl he oh so desperately wished would disappear.

Ronald’s face caught fire. “What th’ hell are ya doin!” he exclaimed, battling the redhead’s hand away. His cheeks darkened when he heard the unmistakable sound of Ciel giggling within the dark shadows of wherever hell he spawned from.

“Oh, hush, darling,” chided Grell. He grabbed Ron by the hand and led him to take a seat in a nearby chair. He sat down and crossed his legs, throwing a bit of long hair over his shoulder. “So how are you doing, sweetie?”

“I’m fine. Nothin’s really changed since I talked t’ ya,” replied Knox, rubbing the back of his head. “I thought ya weren’t comin’ till later on in th’ week.”

“I decided to stop by today because of Willy—”

“—is he alrigh’?”

“He’s fine,” assured Grell. He reached into his bag for the little box covered in brown paper, then handed it over to Ronald. “He wanted me to give you this.”

Ron took the box from Grell’s hand and place it on his lap. He opened the attached letter and upon reading it, his cheeks brightened and a smile spread across his face. “Thanks, Grell,” he said, folding up the message.

“He gave me this, too,” added Grell, giving the young man a white envelope.

Knox looked at the front of the item, taking note of the university’s crest at the top left of the corner. He looked up at Grell, whose worried expression gave him pause. Hesitantly he opened it and quickly scanned the notice. His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.

“I’m gettin’ kicked out?” asked Ron incredulously, waving the paper around.

“No, darling,” Grell said, shaking his head. “You're still enrolled.”

Ronald let out a sarcastic huff, blowing the blond fringe from his eyes. “So, I’m still in school, but I have no place t’ live?”

“You can come home with me. Your room is still there,” reminded Grell.

“Yeah, I know,” muttered Knox. A light pink hue dusted his cheeks as he silently cursed himself for the reason that landed him in this place. He had finally gained the independence he desperately wanted, only to throw it away over a knee-jerk reaction.

Sutcliff reached out and place a hand on Ron’s knee, giving it a reassuring pat. “I know it's not the same, and Undie and I aren't Willy, but it’s not the end of the world. Everything will be alright.”

“Wait. Underwear moved in?”

“Mhmm. A few weeks ago. But don't worry, darling; nothing’s changed. He hasn't taken over any of your space. We may have to work on the ‘noise’ issue before you move back in, though,” the redhead mused, tapping his chin with his index finger.

“Oh. My. God,” groaned Ron, slapping a hand over his eyes.

“Phff,” hummed Grell, waving the blond’s embarrassment away. “Stop acting like such a blushing schoolboy. Besides, we both know I’m not the only one who screams~.”

A mortified flush scorched Ronald’s entire body. The heat was so intense, a part of him was surprised his hair hadn’t burst into flames. He covered his face with both hands, whimpering as he sank into the chair.

Watching the ridiculous spectacle before him, Grell rolled his eyes. He uncrossed his legs and slapped his hands on his thighs. “Well, honey, I think it’s time for me to go.”

The unexpected, sharp sound caused Knox to jump in his seat. He dropped his hands and gazed at the man in the other chair. “You're leavin’ already?” he asked, a frown tugging at his lips.

“I can stay, if you’d like. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?”

Ron pushed himself up in the chair, then placed a hand on the armrest. With the other, he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, there is.”

______________________________

Hours later, Ronald found himself sitting at a table, his elbow propped up and his cheek pillowed on the back of his hand. He stared off into space as he recounted the look on Grell’s face—and the tears that followed—when he told him the reason why he disliked the color red. He had been so caught up in the memory, he hadn't felt the punch to his shoulder.

“It’s your turn, Little Ronnie,” huffed Ciel, pointing at the pair of dice on the Monopoly board.

“Oh, sorry,” apologized Ron. He reached forward and snatched up the dice, rattling them in his closed hand before rolling them; a six. Sighing, he picked up the cowboy token and sat it down on ‘Park Place’—which Ciel owned, of course. “Here ya go,” he said, handing over the majority of his money.

“Are you alright, Ronald?”

Noticing the odd change in name referencing, Knox looked up at the dark-haired boy, whose brow was furrowed and lips downturned.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

Ciel said nothing in return; simply pointed at the blond's face.

Ron pressed a hand against his cheek and looked at his fingers. When did he start crying?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The color red refers to the sheets on Ronald's bed during his time with Gregory Sutcliff.


	18. Chapter 18

**Weeks later**

On a pleasantly warm day, Ronald was sprawled out on the freshly mowed lawn, looking up at the sky as a ticklish breeze fluttered through his disheveled blond hair. He watched the clouds blow across the blue sky, which allowed the bright sun to peek through the unfortunately wide gap in the white curtain of overcast. Before Ron made the move to shield his mismatched stare from the offending light, a small, yet looming, shadow descended upon him. Knox squinted up at the annoying perpetual thorn in his side: Ciel. The smug brat gazed down at the older boy, his lavender eyes sparkling with amusement as he took a bite of candy; the bar was one of many that Ronald had lost in a bet during the particularly intense game of Yahtzee he was convinced he would win. He lost. Badly. So, in congratulations to his now bruised ego, he was out of the wonderful chocolate treats. He wanted to kick himself for telling William that his stash would last him until his last day at the center.

“Beautiful day, isn't it, Little Ronnie?” asked Ciel, smirking.

“Whaddya want?” countered Ron, glowering as he watched Phantomhive’s smile widened in its taunting excursion.

Without a word, Ciel sat down next to the blond, then stretched out his legs before politely crossing them at the ankles. He took a bite of candy and took his time chewing it, making no effort to hide the devilish delight of rubbing salt in Knox’s still fresh wound. After a few more moments of consuming his victory and basking in the scowl bridled with daggers, the raven-haired teen turned his attention to the other laying next to him. “You’re leaving soon, aren't you?”

Tearing his gaze away from the now cloud-riddled sky, Ronald peered up at the boy; he was met with a facial expression that held a note of an emotion Ciel would undoubtedly rather die than admit to feeling. After all the torment the younger one put him through over the weeks, he briefly considered teasing him, but decided against it. “Yeah; Grell’s pickin’ me up in two weeks. If I were still in school, it’d b’ a week before spring break. At least I’d see Will during that time.”

“Has he told you about about his new roommate?” the teen asked.

“Nope. Not much, at least,” answered the young man, emphasizing the ‘p’ with a pop of his lips. “I just know that his name is Bard and accordin’ to Will, he’s loud and a bit...flammable? Whatever th’ hell that means.” Ron let out an exasperated sigh, blowing the blond fringe from his forehead. “I’m gonna b’ so bored livin’ with Grell—and don’t ya dare tell her that when she gets here,” he warned.

Ciel cocked an eyebrow and the corner of his lips twitched into a lopsided smirk. “Mr. Sutcliff aside, I’m sure you could find some sort of exciting activity to engage in with your darling William when his pyro of a roommate is absent. I hope he’s up for the challenge.”

“Little pervert,” muttered Ron.

“I’m a pervert?” questioned Phantomhive innocently, pressing his palm against his chest. “I’m not the one speaking naughty things over the phone when they think no one is listening.”

Knox’s face blazed a heavenly fire. “Can ya just—”

“I would never have guessed,” continued Ciel, talking over the flushing blond, “that a fumbling fool such as yourself could be so poetic and creative in his choice of words. I do believe erotica is in your future.”

“Is there anyone else ya can go fuck over,” hissed Ron through gritted teeth, “instead of torturin’ me all day?”

“According to you, that’s William’s line.”

Squeezing his eyes shut and his chest heaving with fury, Ron desperately willed the weather to drastically change from bright and shiny to dark and stormy. If he prayed hard enough, perhaps a bolt of lightning would strike the little demon. “Is there anythin’ else you’d like t’ get off your chest before I knock you out?”

“Not at the moment, no.”

“Good. Now ya can shut up,” grumbled Ron, his cheeks still burning. He flung his arm over his face in hopes of shielding the ever present blush from the raven-haired boy, who—to Knox’s surprise—said nothing in protest to the command.

Apparently, miracles happen every now and then.

In spite of their frequent and verbally abusive clashing, a comfortable silence settled between the two. The breeze that had previously dissipated returned and blew across Ronald’s skin with a refreshing touch. Between the soothing wind rippling through his hair and the warm temperature, the blond found himself on the verge of sleep, until his company spoke up.

“Are you nervous?” asked Ciel. He picked up a blade of grass, then began twirling it around his fingers.

“‘Bout what?” sighed Knox, his tired words faintly slurred.

Phantomhive flicked the piece of grass away. He looked over at Ron, whose eyes were closed. “You’ll be seeing your mother.”

Ronald’s stomach dropped at the reminder. “Yeah. I’ll b’ seein’ her in court. Hopefully it’ll be th’ last time,” he murmured. He opened his eyes and glanced up at Ciel, slightly squinting against the bright sun.

“I’m not sure when I’ll see my father or my mother in the future,” remarked the raven-haired boy, his tone nonchalant. Ron watched him lean back on his hands, then tilt his face toward the sky; the wind blew through the dangling dark tresses falling against his shoulders.

“You haven’t talked about them since Dr. Othello asked on th’ day I met ya.”

“Hmm,” hummed Phantomhive, mulling over his thoughts. He inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled it through his nose. “They’re the reason why I’m in this godforsaken place. Apart from my older cousin, Lizzy, of course.”

Rather than say anything in regard to the teen’s declaration, Knox chose to look up at the sky and study the various shapes he imagined were imitated within the clouds. Figuring that he should offer some sort of comment, the blond opened his mouth, then quickly shut it. Was there anything he _could_ say? A heartbeat or two later, he was spared from the possibility of asking or saying the wrong thing.

“My family’s well off. Our status in society afforded my parents the luxury of lavish vacations, dinner parties, galas, and the like. They were away from home more often than not. For the most part, I was left behind and placed under the care of my cousin. Her parents frequently accompanied my own.

“Seeing as both set of parents were absentee, whether or not they were at home, they were unaware that Lizzy…” Pausing, Ciel cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing in contemplation. “I suppose you could say she ‘experimented’ on me when it came to certain activities. Ones that were quite unwelcome, of course. It lasted a few years.”

“And they never caught on?” asked Ron, frowning.

“Lizzy can be very angelic to the unsuspecting party; polite and enthusiastic. She was very passionate about anything she deemed to be ‘cute’. Due to her charming persona, no one would believe that such a beautiful, young girl could be anything but behind closed doors—or even when someone wasn’t looking. It was quite the eventful day when our clumsy maid stumbled upon us.” Digging the heel of his shoe into the grass, Phantomhive let out a long sigh. “Perhaps I shall thank her one day.”

“Can I ask ya where she is now?”

Ciel glanced down at Ron, his eyes glittering with angered amusement beneath raised eyebrows. “She’s attending university at the moment,” he replied. “I’ve been sent away to avoid some sort of social scandal while she gets to live her life as if nothing happened. I haven't heard from anyone since I arrived here.”

Grimacing, Ron nervously scratched the top of his head. “I’m sorry…”

“I don’t need your apologies, Little Ronnie. It is what it is. Things will catch up to her eventually. The only thing I can do at the moment is wait for karmic revenge to seek her out. Or I will, if I’m ever presented with the opportunity,” he responded, flashing an unnerving and bone-chilling smile at the young man, whose pallor seemed to have drained substantially.

“By chance,” he piped up minutes later, “if you so happen to be in the area, would you mind…” Ciel blushed over the unfinished question. His cheeks darkened when he saw the look on the young blond’s face.

Ronald smirked. “Ya want me t’ visit sometime?” His smile widened into a teeth splitting grin. “After all th’ fightin’, I didn't realize ya liked me enough t’ wanna see me again.”

“Oh, be quiet!” snapped the raven-haired teen, his lavender eyes narrowing into sharp blades. “I do need some form of entertainment every now and then to prevent boredom from consuming me. You just do happen to be the perfect pawn.”

“I’m glad ya think so highly of me,” Knox remarked dryly with a roll of his eyes. “But ya don’t have to b’ alone, ya know. Sascha’s here. He’s better at chess than I am.”

“True. You are pathetic when it comes to most games,” agreed Ciel with a nod. To further prove the blond’s inability to excel in their competitions, he reached into his shorts pocket, then pulled out a large candy bar and brandished it in Ron’s scowling face.

“Ya seriously fuckin’ suck, ya know that?” growled Ronald, mentally choking the little brat.

“My, my, Little Ronnie. Swearing at a child again, are we? What would Dr. Humphries have to say, I wonder?”


	19. Chapter 19

**Three weeks later, Saturday morning**

It was Saturday morning, and according to William, the most blissful day of the week. Well, it was until the spring term at the university began and he was graced with another roommate by the name of Baldroy, who was an American student studying nutritional science with an interest in the culinary arts. That was truly all William cared to know about his fellow attendee.

However, when Bard began to boast about his favorite dishes and cooking methods, Spears couldn't help but be intrigued. The desire to consume something other than the school’s provisions piqued his interest, as well. So when the first Saturday came around and Bard had offered to whip up a recipe he had been working on, William agreed to try the meal. And since then, the most wonderful morning of the week has been filled with the scent of burning food and smoke puffing from sort of electrical source or another.

And this Saturday morning was no different.

_“Holy shit!”_

An exhausted William shot up from his bed at the sound of his roommate’s exclamatory expletive, and the subsequent coughs and hacks that swiftly followed. He reached for his spectacles, which were sitting on his nightstand, and put them on before glancing to the other side of the room to find Bard standing next to the microwave, waving a towel at the aluminum foil burning inside of it. With a frustrated and equally fed up, muted growl, the brunet threw his long legs over the side of the bed and rushed over to aid in the damage control.

“What in the heavens are you doing?” hissed William, pushing open the windows.

Bard looked to the other with a guilty, yet amused, expression. “Bacon,” he replied simply.

Spears stared at the roguish blond with narrowed eyes. “Bacon,” he echoed. When he received a nod of agreement, he held out his hand for the towel, which was promptly handed over. “During your cooking adventures, has anyone ever told you you must not put foil in the microwave?” he chided, using the cloth to redirect the gray smoke protruding from the fire hazard.

The other man scratched the back of his head in a sheepish manner. “Yeah,” he admitted, his toothpick bobbing in his mouth, “but I didn't wanna wait too long. And I figured if I kept watch, the foil wouldn't have been too bad.”

William scowled. “Well—”

The loud, blaring sound of the fire alarm alerting the entire dormitory drowned out his astonishment; its shrill sound ricocheted inside of his skull. William closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh, honesty,” he muttered between gritted teeth. Letting out an irritated sigh, the brunet opened his eyes and stared at his roommate, who was, once again, scratching the back of his head.

“Sorry, William,” apologized Bard.

Albeit rudely, Spears ignored the fruitless apology and ambled toward his bed, then sat down to reach for his shoes. “Let us be quick,” he suggested, putting on his sneakers.

As he was doing so, the brunet chanced a glance at his attire—he was wearing thin, black cotton pants and a gray short-sleeve shirt. So not only was he being forced out of his room, he would be surrounded by displaced students wearing nothing but his pajamas. Glowering, William stood from his bed and approached the door. There was nothing he could do about his presentation, now.

Yet another Saturday ruined.

* * *

To William’s utter relief, checking the rooms for the source of the smoke in the building had taken less time than he had originally hoped; one hour to be exact. So when both he and Baldroy reentered the building and trudged up into their shared living quarters, Spears felt the majority of his anxiety dissipate into a welcoming sense of calm. The feeling didn't last long, however, because as soon as the brunet opened the dorm room’s door, his blue eyes immediately settled on the miraculously unharmed microwave sitting on the mini fridge beneath the window. How wonderful.

Checking a groan, William stepped aside to allow the blond to enter, then followed suit, closing the door behind him. He ambled toward his desk and plopped down onto the creaky, wooden chair. It was then that he noticed that the dreaded electric griddle was still nestled on top of Bard’s desk. Spears had nearly begged an unknown deity to make the fire department confiscate the blasted item and save him from guaranteed agony in the immediate future. Apparently, the universe was not in his favor. The brunet’s stifled groan burst past his thin lips in a silent whisper.

Bard made his way over to his bed, then haphazardly flopped back onto it; the springy mattress bounced back in rebellion. He chewed on the toothpick bobbing in the corner of his mouth while he stared up at the ceiling. After a few moments of silence, which were painfully awkward on his part, he spoke up. “Sorry ‘bout that, Will. Next time I’ll try not to burn the room down.”

“Yes; please do make an attempt to not ignite our belongings,” suggested Spears, his tone uncharacteristically sarcastic. “I shall not hold it against you if your efforts prove successful.”

A low, grumbled “alright” that sounded equal parts insulted and empathic drifted toward him from the left side of the room. William decided to pay it no mind. It was quite frankly rude of him to do so, but given the circumstances, he couldn't care less.

He reached for a textbook on the second shelf on the desk, then set it down with a loud thump. Spears placed his hand on its cover and was prepared to open it when his intentions were interrupted by a hurried knock on the door. He ignored it.

Seconds later, whoever was on the other side banged against the wood. Will flicked his eyes to his roommate, whom was apparently fast asleep.

The sound of knuckles rapping sounded again. It was soon followed by a shrill, “Bard! Bard!”

William groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He glanced at the man lying on his untidy mattress; he was still dead to the world in spite of the racket. With a sigh, the brunet pushed himself from the chair and went to the door. He flung it open, and as soon as he did, he received a swift slap to the forehead; his glasses were knocked askew and he nearly stumbled backward.

“Oh, my god! I’m so sorry, Mr. William. I am, I am!” shrieked Mey-Rin, stepping into the room.

Rubbing the rapidly reddening spot on his face, Spears suppressed a scowl. “It is quite alright,” he assured the frantic young woman. He stepped off to the side and gestured with arm to welcome her further in—much to his dismay.

Mey-Rin quickly rushed past William, stumbling over to her surprisingly unconscious lover. “Wake up, Bard!” she squeaked, shaking him awake.

“Huh?” hummed Baldroy. He propped himself up on one elbow and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. He glanced over at William, who was piercing him with his stoic—and somewhat frightening—stare, then toward Mey-Rin.

The blond yawned. “Sorry, didn't hear ya come in,” he mumbled sleepily. “Time to hit the road?”

“Well, if you had packed like you were supposed to, we would! A lazy man you are,” chided Mey-Rin. She fumbled with her glasses, repositioning them on her face before standing from the bed. She grabbed onto her boyfriend’s hand and pulled him up.

Yawning again, Bard stood from the bed. He lifted his arms high above his head and stretched, his back cracking into place.

Spears fleetingly wondered how the man had managed to fall into such a deep slumber in a matter of seconds. Pushing that thought aside, he closed the door, then returned to his desk. Will flipped open the textbook and began studying. He didn't get far in his endeavor, though. A soft huff of frustration escaped him. He squeezed his eyes closed, then opened them to glare at the couple busying about on the other side of the room.

He watched and listened to the multitude of books being slammed against Baldroy’s desk, unceremoniously being placed on the shelves while pens and papers were stuffed into drawers.

Amongst the lovers’ chatter, the noise of hangers flinging about Bard’s wardrobe ricocheted within the headache that was forming behind William’s eyes. Rumbled clothing was tossed onto the messy bed, which were promptly collected and placed into the blond’s duffle in an undignified heap. That action was followed by the scraping sound of a zipper sealing the luggage.

Each rattling noise and booming thump grated on Spears’ nerves, and he grit his teeth beneath his porcelain mask. Luckily though, he did manage to tune out the squeals of Mey-Rin’s fussing and panic. The fact that she hadn't caused destruction by breaking one thing or another was a positive in his book, too.

“Alright!” whooped Bard. “I think we’re good to go, Mey.” He leaned down and picked up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. He turned to face the man who may or may not be glowering. “Enjoy your spring break, Will.”

“Yes! Enjoy the week, Mr. William,” Mey-Rin piped up.

The brunet offered them a small smile. “As will you, I am sure.”

With a nod from Baldroy, and an enthusiastic wave from Mey-Rin, the pair walked out the door and quietly closed and locked it behind them.

As soon as he felt that the figurative coast was clear, William exhaled a soft sigh of relief. “Thank heavens,” he murmured beneath his breath, gazing upward at the ceiling.

Now that the troublesome—and pyromantic—man was gone for the week, Spears decided he was going to seize the stress-free opportunity and make up for lost time in regard to his studies. He slid open the drawer to his right and retrieved a host of pens and blank sheets of paper. With the necessary items before him, William got to work.

It had not yet been thirty minutes before the sound of knuckles tapping against wood reached his ears.

Will clenched the pen, nearly snapping it in half out of pure anger and annoyance. He inhaled a deep breath, then slowly exhaled it through his nose. Perhaps if he prolonged the need to answer the door, Bard would take it upon himself to search for his keys and complete his quest. Unless he left his keys behind. Again.

But it was to no avail; the knocking soon turned into the banging of a fist. Internally groaning, William stood from the creaky chair and ambled toward the door concealing the bumbling fool.

Standing before it, he took a moment to compose himself, reining in the vein undoubtedly pulsating on his forehead. William pushed up his glasses and reached for the doorknob. Twisting it to the left, he flung open the door. He froze.

Ronald stood there, rubbing the back of his head while he glanced shyly up at the older man. “Hiya, Will,” he said with a grin, his cheeks brightening.

When Spears made no motion to move, or speak, his cheeks darkened. Knox cast his blue and green eyes downward, and stared at his shuffling feet, his white converses squeaking against the tiled floor. Stuttering heartbeats passed by before he looked at the man again. “Will, I—”

Ron’s impending thought trailed off into a squeak as William grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him flush against his body. He ran his hands up the boy’s back until he reached the dark hair beneath the messy blond hair, then curled his fingers into the silky tresses. Spears tilted Knox’s head back, and for once willingly forsaking his reservations and inhibitions, he began smothering him with kisses. He was surprised to taste the tell-tale flavor of tears while he pressed his lips against the warm skin beneath them.

After delivering message upon message of affection on Ronald’s face, William placed his mouth against the other’s in a sweet, and long awaited, chaste kiss. He broke it, before tucking the blond’s head beneath his chin and settled it on top of his head. Spears ran a hand down Knox’s back, rubbing soothing circles along his spine.

Ronald wrapped his arms around his partner’s waist. “I missed ya, Will,” he confessed, burying his face in the man’s shirt.

The brunet kissed the mop of sunny-colored hair tickling his nose. “And I, you.”


	20. Chapter 20

William cracked open his blue eyes, and immediately blushed when his blurry vision registered the cream-colored ceiling; it was awash with a pale blue light indicating the early morning hours. He shifted gently against the soft cotton sheets, careful not to disturb the arm draped over his chest. His nose twitched with the urge to sneeze while he moved, seeing as a feathery tuft of blond hair was currently covering his chin and mouth. Spears smoothed down the untidy tresses before his hand continued downward along the length of Knox's spine until he reached his bare bottom. And the fire kindling below his cheeks regained new life. Not only was he in Sutcliff’s apartment, but he had also managed to end up nude in Ronald’s bed.

“Are ya awake now?” came the muffled voice muted by the lips pressing against his chest.

“I believe so,” surmised William, rubbing a hand over his face.

He felt the warm body next to him shift, slowly rolling on top of him, the bed springs creaking beneath the change. Ronald straddled his hips and laid back down, cheek against his chest.

William placed a hand on the back Ron’s head and began running his fingers through the dark hair at the nape of his neck. He twirled a few strands around his finger and tugged on it before running his hand down his back once again.

“How long have you been awake?” he asked while he rubbed tiny circles on his lover’s lower back.

Ronald yawned. “For a while,” he sighed. “Couldn’t really sleep.”

“You should have woken me.”

Ronald shimmied up William’s body, placing his chin against the other’s. He flashed a sleepy, yet bright, grin.

“But ya look pretty hot when you're sleeping...and naked.”

“Oh, hush,” chided William, his cheeks warming. “Please do not remind me that I am indeed nude—and in Sutcliff’s house no less.”

Sitting up, Ronald settled into William’s lap and stared down at him, his eyebrow cocked. “Ya didn't mind it last night,” he pointed out with a wink.

William made some sort of unintelligible noise, which brought another smile to the blond’s face. “Honestly,” he muttered beneath his breath.

Careful not to toss Knox over the side of the bed, Will reached over to the nightstand and picked up his glasses. He put the spectacles on, pushing them up his nose as he peered at Ron. The blond’s smile was still carefree and bright, but his blue and green eyes were dull and ringed with red, dark bags pronounced against his pale skin. Knox opened his mouth to say whatever was on his mind, but seemed to think better of it when his jaw snapped shut. His gaze wandered off to a point above William’s head.

“Now that—if she…” Ron began, a frown tugging at the corner of his lips. He exhaled a ragged breath. “Thanks for coming here, Will. I know it took a lot for ya to leave campus.”

Spears reached up and brushed Ronald’s bangs from his forehead, tucking a few strands behind his ear. He propped himself up and wrapped his arms around Knox’s waist, planting his face in the crook of the other’s neck; the position left his glasses haphazardly askew.

“There is no need to express any sort of gratitude, Knox,” Will murmured, his thumbs rubbing tiny circles along Ronald’s lower back in tandem with each word. He exhaled a sigh. “I do believe I would follow you anywhere at this point. As long as you will have me, of course.”

As soon as the confession left his lips of their own accord, Will’s pale cheeks bloomed a pale pink and his blue eyes widened. The soft sound of Ronald laughing didn’t help his situation in the slightest.

He lightly groaned, “Do forget I said such a thing.”

“Nah,” hummed Ron with amusement. “How th’ hell am I supposed to let that one go?”

Sighing, William lifted his head. He leaned back so he could see Ronald face-to-face. Spears was relieved to see that the dull hue in the blond’s gaze had faded, replaced with the personality that drove him insane every second of everyday.

“I suppose I shall never live this down?”

A wicked smirk appeared. Knox wrapped his arms around William’s neck. “Nope!” he chirped, then tilted forward and pressed his lips against William’s.

“I figured,” William whispered between each kiss.

“Well, ya asked for it,” Knox insisted, pulling back. Without another word, he wiggled out of Spears’ lap and sat up, throwing his slender legs over the side of the bed. He leered at William over his shoulder, and William wasn’t quite sure if the flirtatious glimmer sparkling behind the other’s eyes was meant to lure him away from or into the bed.

“C’mon, I’m hungry,” Ron announced. The loud rumbling sound resonating from his stomach backed his declaration.

“As am I,” agreed William. “Let us get dressed for breakfast.” Adjusting his glasses with the press of his fingers, William looked at the clock on the nightstand. He amended his statement to add, “Or, shall I say lunch?”

Ronald’s eyelashes fluttered sweetly; the action was nullified by his seductive expression. The lopsided smirk quirking the corner of his lips had William reconsidering his own need for food.

“We had a late night,” Knox reminded him, his tone teasing and overly suggestive.

William made an unintelligible noise. Ignoring the siren known as Ronald Knox, he nudged the young man to his feet. And as Ron slowly stood, the sheet slid from his waist and Will was graced with the blond’s lean and lithe form. A scarlet red flooded his cheeks, and his mouth dropped open in a hitched gasp he wasn’t proud of in the least.

“Mr. K-Knox,” he sputtered in a rather undignified manner. “Please do get dressed.”

Ron raised his arms above his head and yawned. In spite of his lover’s sputtering (and suffering), he drew the show out, much to William’s growing frustration. After a few tantalizing seconds in which Will, once again, pondered the need for food, Knox dropped his arms, the palms of his hands slapping against his thighs. He turned to face William.

“Nope,” Ron replied, emphasizing the ‘p’ with a pop of his lips. He tossed William a playful wink, then bolted for the bedroom door, his feet slapping against the hardwood floor as he rounded the corner into the kitchen.

“Oh, honestly,” William sighed once Knox was out of sight.

And with that, the man got out of bed and proceeded to dress himself until he was as decent as one could be on such a lazy day. Will ambled toward the kitchen. He entered the room to find Ronald already sitting at the small round table with a large bowl of cereal in front of him. Knox flashed a small grin, then began digging into his breakfast. William made a mental note to work on the other’s eating etiquette as he watched Ron eat.

Shaking his head, William strolled over to the coffee machine, which was miraculously filled with a fresh batch. He opened the cupboard above the machine and grabbed a white mug. After filling it with the warm brew, Will added one sugar and a small dash of creamer. As he stirred the ingredients, Spears glanced at Ronald, observing as the blond downed the last of his overly sweet meal. A faint smile curled the corner of his mouth at the presence of the milk mustache gracing Ron’s upper lip.

With his beverage in tow, Will walked toward the table. He set the cup down on its wooden surface with a quiet click, then maneuvered himself until he was standing next to Knox. He cupped Ronald’s cheek, gently guiding it upward so they could see eye-to-eye. William ran his thumb across the other’s mouth, wiping away the milk. As the last of the droplets were removed, he was pleased to see that the tables turned for a change: Ronald was blushing.

“Much better,” Will remarked. He pulled out the empty chair and sat, reaching for his untouched cup of coffee. He brought it to his lips and took a small sip. After swallowing the morning beverage, William spoke over the rim of the mug.

“Now, do you have anything in mind as to what you would like to do today, or would you rather stay indoors?”

“Hmm…” Ron hummed, tilting his head to the side; he tapped the spoon against the corner of his mouth. He looked at William, his blue and green eyes bright with excitement, and if the troublesome gleam glistening behind them had any say in the matter, William most likely wouldn’t appreciate the other’s crude language. He was right.

“I can jump your bones tonight, so do you wanna go to th’ park? I bet that one pigeon is waiting for ya.”

“Well, if you dress accordingly, we shall go out,” replied William, actively paying no heed to this evening’s promise. “When would you care to leave?”

“Right now!”

Before William could point out that the blond’s lack of clothing would be inappropriate for the outside world, Knox pushed back his chair and fled into the bedroom. Will continued to sip his coffee as he waited, listening to the sound of drawers opening and closing with a bang each time Ron retrieved an item of clothing. It didn’t take long for Knox to return fully clad from head to toe. William, being the lustful fool that he was, couldn’t help the minute disappointment of seeing Ronald clothed and ready for the day’s activities.

Quickly brushing that line of thought away, William downed the last of his coffee. He stood from the table and made his way toward the sink, turning on the faucet and adjusting the water temperature so he could wash the used mug. While he completed the task at hand, Spears looked over his shoulder at Ron, watching as the young man bounced on the balls of his feet. Will briefly wondered how he managed to keep up with such an energetic person.

“C’mon, Will, let’s go,” Ronald urged, impatiently gesturing toward the front door.

Spears regarded him with a pointed look. “Did you get the bird seed from my overnight bag?”

Nodding, Ronald smirked. “It took a bit of digging, though. I can’t believe ya have that many cond—“

“Oh, hush,” interjected William. He turned back to the sink in an effort to conceal the blush infusing his cheeks. “Have you no shame?”

“You’re th’ one who’s been trying to get into my pants all weekend,” Ron insisted, and William could practically feel the leer the blond was burning into the back of his head.

William sighed. How did he fall for such an illicit creature who lived to be a thorn in his side?

Once he was finished washing the mug, and the bowl and spoon that had miraculously found their way into the sink, William put the dish ware onto the rack to dry. He turned around, putting his back to the sink and catching Ronald’s eye.

“Anyway,” he began, “let us go before the birds leave on account of your dilly-dallying.” It was a pathetic response to Knox’s accurate accusation, but it was the best William could do under such nefarious teasing.

After exhaling a muted sigh, William pushed up his glasses, then headed toward the front door, rounding the kitchen table as he went. Just as he passed by Ron, his spectacles unexpectantly jostled and he gave a start—Knox had slapped his rear end. He shot an exasperated look at the young man; in return, Ronald winked and brought two fingers to the crown of his head and saluted.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, resonating into the kitchen. Both men glanced at the sound, then turn their gazes on one another. William spoke first.

“Are you expecting anyone?”

Ronald shrugged. “Nah, but I’ll go answer it. Might be one of Grell’s friends.” He strolled toward the sound, shouting a “Just a sec!” when the bell rang again.

Again, Spears watched him disappear. He took a step forward in an effort to follow, but his movements turned into a run when he heard the door slam against the wall with a bang, shattering the face vase that stood beside it; the commotion was echoed by the shards of broken pottery tumbling to the floor.

“Ronald!” exclaimed William, skidding to a halt behind the couch. “Is everything alright—” His question died on his tongue the instant he saw a woman standing on the steps, her long brown hair flipped over her shoulder, her eyes luminous and smile polite. He swiftly looked at Ronald, whose sweated-beaded skin was a ghastly shade of gray; his trembling fingers balled into fists by his sides.

“M-mum?” Knox stuttered, and Will could hear the underlying hysteria in his voice.

“Hello, honey!” his mother squealed.

* * *

Frozen to the spot, Ronald stared at his mother with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing while the trickle of fear running down his spine had his head spinning and the echo of blood rushing through in ears. Bile swirled in his stomach the longer he stood there; the burning acid threatened to spill from his parted lips as he looked at the woman who plagued every dream—nightmare each night he fell asleep. Ron swallowed thickly.

“W-what are,” he paused, anxiously dragging in a sharp gulp of air before letting out a ragged exhale through his nose. Knox cleared his throat, his voice rough and breaths shallow as he continued, “What are ya—how did ya find me?”

An amused huff of laughter was Ronald’s response; its melodic sound sent goosebumps erupting across his skin, forcing the hairs on his arms to stand on end. His mother’s soft hand suddenly cupping his jaw branded his cheek, and he nearly winced under the delicate touch. When she spoke, her tone was oddly whimsical and unnaturally soothing. To Knox’s ears, her words were a promising threat.

“I’ll _always_ know where my son is, Ronald.”


End file.
